Reading the title of our article, you will have understood that this practice is discouraged by Wine Etiquette: when pouring wine, the glass should NOT be lifted from the table! Remember this for future meals.

Now we want to explain why you should not hold the glass up while serving wine. Then we will reveal how and where you should hold the glass when pouring wine. Read on for more information.

Why shouldn't you hold your glass up while serving wine?

Many people think that holding the glass up and bringing it closer to the person who is about to pour the wine is a correct action or, in any case, useful to facilitate the service of wine. Let's say that their intentions are sincere, theoretically noble and altruistic: to make the task of the person who serves the wine easier. It is believed that bringing the glass towards the bottle can simplify the operations of pouring the wine, making them less complex and "tiring". The person who serves the wine would make less "effort".

For those who believe this is correct, we have bad news: you should not hold your glass up when the waiter is pouring your wine. Likewise, you should not hold your glass up while you are pouring wine. In other words, regardless of your role, whether you are a diner or a waiter/waitress, you should not hold your glass up while the wine is being served.

The reasons why the Wine Etiquette discourages this practice are:

1. POOR STABILITY

This is certainly the main reason why it is not recommended to lift the glass while pouring. The glass held up with the hand is not stable. The hand holding it could move. As a result, the pouring of wine is less controlled and precise.

2. RISK OF SPILLS

The poor stability of the glass held up from the table increases the possibility of error during the wine service. In particular, it increases the risk of spills because the glass held up could move. The hand that raises the glass cannot be in perfect balance and cannot remain completely still during the entire pouring operation. There is a risk of spilling wine out of the glass, therefore dirtying or staining the tablecloth or, even, the hand or clothes of the diner. A situation that Galateo absolutely wants to avoid.

3. LACK OF ELEGANCE

We know how much Wine Etiquette cares about the refinement of the gesture. Imagine a situation in which you hold the glass up during service. In these circumstances, the pouring is a bit chaotic and not very tidy.

The question is: how should I hold the glass during service?

How and where should the glass be held during the service of wine?

The answer to this question is simpler than you might think:

during the wine service, the glass should be kept still on the table.

With this position of the glass, the pouring of wine is more stable, safe, tidy, refined and elegant. Placed on a flat surface, completely still and balanced, the risk of spills or overflows of wine is reduced. In addition, the person in charge of the service can manage and control the flow and the quantity of wine poured more easily.

In support of this position, remember one of the golden rules of wine service: wine should be poured from the right side of the diner. The person serving should not stand in front of the customer/guest but behind them. In short, no action is required from the diner or the customer. No one holds the glass up and no one, during the pouring, touches the glass, neither the diner nor the waiter/waitress.