When a dinner guest brings a bottle of wine as a gift, should you open and serve it?

Answer 1

Some commonsense thoughts about bringing wine to someone's house! Last week, friend and customer Chuck Haines who works at the UC Santa Barbara Housing Office bought a bottle of Hank's Fault Line Red from me. He told me he was replenishing the bottle. He had been invited to a friend's for dinner. He brought a bottle of Hank's. Apparently, the host squirreled the bottle away and it wasn't served at the meal!

This is bad form! If a guest brings a bottle, the host should always offer to open it and serve it. Perhaps there's one exception to this rule-if the guest says "here's a gift; save for another time-not tonight."

Answer 2

I don't think it's a good idea, but it depends on the guest. Did they bring it as a gift pure and simple, or as a contribution to the meal as a relative might do. In a formal situation, definitely not. Also, a guest with a knowledge of wine wouldn't expect to be served what they bring: how would they know what would suit the meal unless they knew the menu in advance?

Answer 3

as a wine sommelier,
id say it depends on whether you have purchased a special bottle of wine to go with the meal and whether the gift wine actually goes with the dinner menu.
you cannot serve an old red wine with fish for example or a mild white wine with a pungent curry
explain that to your guest and im sure he will understand
cheers

Answer 4

Yes, I think you should open the wine and serve as this is a respect to the guest that he or she have bought the right choice at the right timing

Answer 5

Etiquette says "sometimes". If it's a great bottle of wine, you can happily accept it and say something like "Thank you! When's the best time to drink this??" If they say now, or it'll be better in 2 years, then you'll have the clue. If I don't get the clue, I put it in the kitchen and say something like "I've got a blank and blank and blank on the table, we'll open this later!" Chances are it won't be opened then I can store it.

Answer 6

Guests bring bottle of wine to be opened at dinner. Enjoy it in their presence. However, if you do not drink wine then politely say so. They will not mind your appology.

Answer 7

Yes, even if it doesn't "go" with what you are serving (fish for example and the wine is red). It is commonplace now to have which ever wine you would like with your meal and not be so strict about pairing certain foods with certain wines.

Answer 8

Yes. It would be considered rude if you didn't serve the wine.
If it doesn't really go with the dinner you've prepared, serve it after dinner....but make sure they know that you plan to serve it after dinner.

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

Yes