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Ordering the wine at a business function is not unimportant. Business people are judged by just about everything they do, and an ability to order wine crisply and well probably takes on far more significance than it should. When we first wrote about this issue in 2000, we quoted someone who still remembered a young associate, 20 years earlier, nervously looking over the wine list and finally telling the sommelier, 'I think we'll try the Lancers.' In fact, this situation is even more fraught than it was in 2000 because of the recession. Back then, the person forced to choose the wine could simply focus on a California cult Cabernet or some other fancy bottle and everybody would be happy. These days, the bottom line when it comes to wine really is the bottom line. Successful business people are supposed to be able to identify value - and the wine list is no exception. This is where the 'cheap' comes in.
And here's where 'cheat' comes in: More and more restaurants have their wine lists online. Find it and study it before you go. See what fits into your budget and look up the wines online. By the time you are handed the list, you'll be able to make a snap judgment that will make it appear you know what you're doing and are a quick decision-maker to boot. If the wine list is not online, drop by the restaurant in advance, look over the list and talk with the sommelier. It's a small investment in time that will pay big dividends.
Even if this isn't possible, at least spend a few minutes doing some Web browsing on the type of wine likely to be listed. Northern Italian restaurant? You probably will see a delightful, well-priced Barbera. Greek restaurant? At least you can remember that Assyrtiko is the famous white wine from Santorini. If this simply isn't possible, here are some tips:
1) Move fast. The longer you stare at the list, the more your associates will assume either that you know nothing about wine and you're lost or that you know a lot about wine and that the wine you order will be the greatest experience of their lives.
2) Skip anything that's familiar. No one is going to be impressed if you order Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay or Yellow Tail Shiraz and, in fact, they will be outraged at the restaurant's price. You will be punished for staying in your comfort zone. More broadly, for value, avoid the whole long lists of the most-familiar wines: American Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. A wine that is unfamiliar is more likely to impress your associates.
3) If the list is geographically broad, it will be hard to go wrong, for a white, with Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and, for a red, with Malbec from Argentina.
4) If there is a sommelier, don't be shy about using his or her help. Good business people know how to delegate, after all, and you are just showing that skill. But here's the key if you're really stuck: Once you decide how much you want to spend, choose an interesting, unusual wine around that price and then call over the sommelier and say, 'This looks interesting to me. Do you think this is a good idea or is there something else you'd suggest?' - but the whole time you are doing this, be pointing at the price, not the wine. Sommeliers are used to this. They understand.
On the other hand, maybe it's all simpler than that. We were discussing this with our old friend Mark Nadler, a Chicago-based management consultant to CEOs at Oliver Wyman Delta, and he said, 'Here's my advice: The worst thing you can do is try to fake it. There is no shame in acknowledging to the table, 'You know what? I enjoy wine, but I wouldn't begin to describe myself as an expert. So I'd like to turn this over to one of you who really knows what they're talking about.' Believe me, you can bet there will always be at least one person who can't wait to grab the wine list and show off. Let them do the honors, and you earn easy points for humility.'
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在商业场合上点酒的能力并非无关紧要。商务人士的一言一行都会被当作判断其能力高低的依据，点酒是否干脆老练且让人皆大欢喜，或许被赋予了远远超出其本身的意义。我们记得当我们的文章在2000年首次涉及这个话题时，我们引述了某个人讲述的20年前的故事。他记得有位年轻的助理紧张地看着酒单，最后告诉侍酒师，“我想我们就尝尝Lancers吧”。事实上，由于目前经济的不景气，这种事情的发生比2000年还要频繁。在那个年代，被迫点酒者可以索性将重点放在加州California cult Cabernet酒或其它精美的酒上，而这样做也会让人皆大欢喜。如今，点酒的底线还真的是指价格的底线了。成功的商业人士都应该是识货的，在点酒上也不会例外。这就是我们所说的“便宜”的意思。
现在我们说说“忽悠”是怎么回事：如今越来越多的餐馆把其酒单放在网上。请你上网找到酒单并在赴宴前对它进行一番推敲，看看有什么酒在你的预算之内，然后在网上了解一下这些酒。这样，当你拿到酒单时就可以迅速做出判断，且这会让你看起来像是很懂行而且是能迅速拿主意的人。如果网上找不到酒单，那就请事先到餐厅走一趟看下酒单并与调酒师聊聊。时间上的这点小投资会让你有大回报的。
即使在上述条件不允许的情况下，你至少要在网上花上几分钟对可能出现在酒单上的葡萄酒做些调研。去北意大利风味的餐厅吗？那酒单上可能会出现令人愉悦且价格公道的Barbera酒。去希腊风味餐厅？那你至少可以记住Assyrtiko是著名的产自圣托里尼岛（Santorini）的白葡萄酒。如果所有这一切都不可能，那么下面还有一些建议给你：
1. 爽快地点酒。你越是对着酒单发呆，你的同伴们越是会认为你因对酒一窍不通而一头雾水，或是会认为你是个葡萄酒行家因而你今天花如此大心思点的酒会令他们喝了终身难忘。
2. 跳过大家熟知的酒。如果你点了Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay或Yellow Tail Shiraz，没有人会觉得你挺在行。而事实上，他们还会为这种酒在餐厅里卖到如此贵的价格感到愤怒。为了不出错而保守行事，你会受到惩罚的。也就是说，为了物有所值，你应该避开最为大众熟知的那一长串葡萄酒名字如American Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon和Chardonnay。点上一瓶无人知晓的葡萄酒，会更让你的同伴们对你刮目相看。
3. 如果酒单上的酒五花八门产自世界各地，那出错的可能性就很小。如要点白葡萄酒，那就点产自新西兰的Sauvignon Blanc；如要点红葡萄酒，那就点产自阿根廷的Malbec。
4. 如果餐厅配有侍酒师，那就别羞于让他或她帮你一把。优秀的商业人士毕竟都懂得如何把任务委派给他人，现在就是展示你这种能力的时候了。但假如你真的陷入了困境，这里还有个杀手 ：一旦有了预算，你就在预算内挑一种有点意思的但不落俗套的酒，然后把侍酒师叫过来说：“这种酒看起来挺有意思的。你觉得这是个好的选择还是你有什么别的建议？“ 。但整个过程中，你的手要指在价格上而不是在葡萄酒名字上。这种场合侍酒师们见得多了，他们会明白你的意思。
另外还有或许比上述都更简单的做法。当我们和我们的老朋友马克•纳德勒（Mark Nadler）讨论这事的时候，他是位于芝加哥的奥纬公司（Oliver Wyman Delta）的一位专门向首席执行官们提供咨询的顾问，他说，我的建议是：没有比不懂装懂更糟糕的了。对整桌人坦承自己是葡萄酒外行并非是羞耻之事。我会说，“尽管我喜欢喝酒，但我不会以专家自诩。因此，我想把点酒的任务交给一位真正懂酒的人。” 相信我，你可以打赌至少会有一个人急不可待地一把夺过酒单并开始炫耀其酒经。把此项荣耀让给他们吧，而你又能轻松地在谦虚的美德上得分。
