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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Looking at the post about someone going into a cafe of the wrong class

94 replies

bumblebee50 · 28/10/2016 21:04

This reminded me of my Christmas night out with work last year to a posh restaurant. The wine waiter poured everyone some wine (white in my case), however, no matter where I am I always ask for a glass of ice as I like to top my wine up with it, firstly to make it extra cold but also to dilute it a wee bit. The wine waiter looked at me as if I had grown an extra head and I never did get my glass of ice. i was too embarrassed to ask again. WIBU in my request?

OP posts:

user1477282676 · 28/10/2016 22:01

Sailing exactly. It's about personal preference. I live in one of the Australian wine regions and they're crashing snobs about things like this.

What they don't realise is that their attitude makes them appear very uneducated generally.

Original poster

bumblebee50 · 28/10/2016 22:03

Funnily enough in Spain the red wine was served chilled, which I thought was unusual. I don't drink red wine, but the people that were with me who did thought it was a bit odd.

OP posts:

elodie2000 · 28/10/2016 22:05

Ask for a Tinto de Verano next time and watch the bugger squirm....

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinto_de_verano

iloveredwine · 28/10/2016 22:07

I freeze grapes to use in wine!

DamePastel · 28/10/2016 22:10

One ice cube in your wine won't ruin it. And you can like a good wine and not ruin it by putting in one cube of ice! The taste is still the same but diluted obviously.

I'm not British and they can be very quick to categorise you as a philistine for having the courage to just ask for something how you want it. ie, meat well done. I am braver in my own country asking for whatever the hell I want because I know people won't look down on me.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/10/2016 22:12

I only drink wine (other than Prosecco) with lemonade. So sue me. And if I'm paying for the drink, I expect the establishment (whatever 'class it is') to serve me exactly what I flipping well want!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/10/2016 22:12

I like Lambrusco too.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/10/2016 22:12

And Babycham.

PickAChew · 28/10/2016 22:14

So that's the name for what my mum and I used to do with leftover wine, elodie! Usually a Spar special, so not fit to drink the next day unless mixed with orange juice or lemonade!

These days, I have more expensive tastes in wine (though probably not relatively, given the 30 year gap) and chill any leftover red. It's much nicer the next day, that way. Stops it from spoiling in my South facing kitchen and actually brings out some rather lovely flavours I may not have otherwise have noticed. I sometimes chill it anyhow, in the height of summer.

DamePastel · 28/10/2016 22:18

I think it's a bit lower middle class to look down on people for not liking raw meat etc. The people from the classiest backgrounds will eat with their mouths open if they goddamned please.

WorraLiberty · 28/10/2016 22:20

I really don't understand why a paying customer wouldn't ask for ketchup, if that's what they wanted?

OP, I wonder if the waiter just forgot?

Boredenough2bhere · 28/10/2016 22:28

I drink my wine diluted as well. Though in my case it's because I don't actually like wine that much.

BarbaraofSeville · 28/10/2016 22:29

Have people never heard of a white wine spritzer

It never occurred to me to put ice in wine until I saw someone else doing it. I did it on holiday this year in the Med where it was still 30 C at midnight and the wine warmed up within about 10 minutes of being poured and was a bit sweet for my taste. My standard order in restaurants was a bottle of house wine and a glass of ice.

As a paying customer I don't give a fuck what the restaurant thinks and if they start getting all sneery with me, their tip will rapidly diminish.

Rose over ice sounds like a fab way to spend a summer afternoon/evening.

SpunkyMummy · 28/10/2016 22:32

The waiter should have brought the ice, obviously...

Although I'm not sure why you'd want to add ice... Unless you were drinking the red of my grandmother's vineyard, in that case ice might actually be an improvement :D

user1467976192 · 28/10/2016 22:32

I got asked in our local the other day if I would like ice in my wine... frankly this was a new and shocking concept... mind you I don't have ice in my drinks

Wayfarersonbaby · 28/10/2016 22:33

It's perfectly fine to add ice to wine in some countries - including parts of France and the US. I was horrified the first time I saw someone do it - but they were undeniably far classier and knowledgeable than me (an actual diplomat and member of the minor aristocracy.... )

I do it quite a lot with white wine, it doesn't do it any harm if it's reasonably cheap wine and sometimes actually improves it - I'm not exactly sticking ice cubes in fine wine - more like 8 quid from Sainsburys.

Original poster

bumblebee50 · 28/10/2016 22:37

I don't think the waiter did forget because when I asked for the ice he raised his eyebrows and said it was sacrilege putting ice in a nice white wine. For the record I don't really care what these snobby people think and I would definitely have asked again if I hadn't been sitting next to my boss.

OP posts:

Alwaysfrank · 28/10/2016 22:40

I have no qualms about asking for ice if my wine isn't cold enough - red or white.

In hot parts of France red wine has often been served to me chilled. It should be cellar temperature, not room temperature. We usually chill it slightly at home too.

SpunkyMummy · 28/10/2016 22:41

A waiter simply shouldn't be snobby. Terrible service.

newmumwithquestions · 28/10/2016 22:41

That's just bad service from the waiter.

quince2figs · 28/10/2016 22:50

OP, I usually drink white wine and for some reason in the last few years dislike it unless very cold (unless v special occasion and splashing out on pricey bottle).
I love wine with ice in a tumbler. Keeps it v cold, and waters it down a bit as I am more of a lightweight these days.
I don't particularly care whether others approve or not, or think it's correct. I've seen this in many areas in the Med, and is really needed when in high summer there unless you prefer warm wine...
If I am drinking this when out, I am paying, and expect to be served with politeness rather than disdain ( as I did for many years as a barmaid).

CoteDAzur · 28/10/2016 23:02

"Its acceptable to drink watered wine on the Continent"

Where is this little village called 'the Continent', where stuff is uniformly accepted or rejected in all its homes and restaurants?

Here in France, the only people I've ever seen watering down their wine are (very few) English ex-pats.

WorraLiberty · 28/10/2016 23:03

I don't think the waiter did forget because when I asked for the ice he raised his eyebrows and said it was sacrilege putting ice in a nice white wine.

That's terrible service. I would have complained tbh.

I get why you might not have wanted to complain in front of your boss (or feel as though you're causing a fuss), but if the restaurant has a review section online, I would definitely give them a poor one.

thisismeusernameything · 28/10/2016 23:07

I order red wine and a glass of coke often. The looks when I mix them

TresDesolee · 28/10/2016 23:08

I was in Hawksmoor (slightly posh steak chain) a couple of weeks ago and bravely asked the waiter whether it would be alright to have the steak very well done.

He immediately said 'you can have it absolutely any way you want it' (and then gave me some advice about the best cut to have well done).

He was a good waiter. Yours wasn't.

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