There are all sorts of wonderful reasons to order a glass of sparkling wine while you’re out. Whatever the case — maybe you’re celebrating a special occasion, maybe you’re just feeling fancy — nothing is worse than if the wine arrives and it’s flat. But should you really send it back? Absolutely.
Even though you might be worried about coming across as awkward or rude, ensuring the wine you ordered has the proper bubbles is definitely valid — especially when sparkling wine prices are reaching $25 a glass. Most servers are interested in their guests having the best experience possible, and if your sparkling wine is flat you should let them know.
If what you ordered is an option on the by-the-glass list, it’s likely the bottle was already open and may not have been stored properly — or isn’t being ordered enough during that service — to preserve maximum effervescence. If this is the case, and the bottle’s gone flat, it’s totally within reason to ask for another glass, hopefully from a freshly opened bottle.
