I am assuming that by “control their own wine” you mean that they prefer to pour it themselves. If that is the case and the guests have expressed it to me, I just have to let go of my inner control freak and let them do it– it’s their wine and their experience.

The concerns on my end are that they a) are going to drip wine all over the tablecloth, b) pour too much into the glass (a glass should be no more than 1/3 full), or c) pour it out too fast or not do their self-assigned job properly by not pouring at all.

I know that my concerns there are rather selfish, because I see these potential errors as a reflection on my own service. Of course, I then (usually) correct my attitude, realizing that this is what the guest(s) want and that is, of course, what it’s all about, right?

Anonymous–

I find overly zealous pourers somewhat annoying. As I mentioned above, a glass should be no more than 1/3 full at any given time, since one needs air in the glass, as well as wine.

As a server, if a guest’s glass gets low, I pour. I am careful to pour in such a way that (by pausing briefly), should a guest not wish to be refilled, he has time to indicate that fact. A server pours without interrupting the guests, if he’s any good. I do not consider it my problem if diners opt to suck their wine down– they may have had a long day and need a few good slugs. If a guest wants to make his wine last, he or she will drink it slowly. Of course, there are pushy servers. We’ve all had those!

Shuna– Yes. That “someone” is rather incredible, isn’t he? He gave me the courage to go get that first level wine certificate from the COurt of Master Sommeliers. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the CMS, a first level certificate is equivocal to, say, a junior high school diploma in the real world…

Who ELECTS to stay at Atascadero on their own terms?

Thank you for an educational and funny piece about something you’d think more Californians would know about, considering who we are geographically.

ps. Patients at mental institutions are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages. Unless, in some cases, said persons are electing to stay there on their own terms.