“Great wine lists, simply put, should make wine feel fun, like the bacchanalian celebratory beverage it is,” says Aureole’s head sommelier, Morgan Harris
Pretty good advice here, especially #1,2 and 6. Generally, I find that if the “by the glass” selection is boring, the rest of the list is as well. And, if it is over-priced, I find it insulting. Like the author of this article, I usually expect a 100% mark-up over retail, but, even that for a bottle that might retail at $75+ seems like a lot. But, I can live with that. But 200-300%? Uh, no. That is a way to convince me to avoid that restaurant in the future.
Regarding service, my biggest complaint is that way too many establishments serve red wine too warm. My advice is to ask for an ice bucket when you run into this. It may delay enjoying your wine for 15 or 20 minutes, but I guarantee that you will enjoy it much more when it is 55-60 degrees, rather than 70-80! Cheers!