Below, the basic rules for clearing wine glasses.

How to remove wine glasses from the table?

How to clear wine glasses from the table? On which side to clear wine glasses? In what sense to remove wine glasses? Below, we reveal the basic rules for removing wine glasses from the table.

The first rule to be respected when you have to clear wine glasses from the table is as follows: use the right hand by positioning to the right of the guest (just the same position and the same hand used for serving wine). The right hand must be used, the one farthest from the customer, in order to avoid hitting the host during the removal of wine glasses.

The second fundamental rule is as follows: wine glasses must be cleared by taking them for the stem. Do not take them for the cup, it is not hygienic and respectful to diners. After taking them, place the wine glasses on a tray. Hold the tray with your left hand. Glasses should not be taken into the kitchen with your hands.

Finally, wine glasses must be cleared clockwise, proceeding to the left. This way allows you to keep the tray with dirty glasses away from the customer.

When to remove wine glasses from the table?

The second key question of our article is: when to clear wine glasses from the table?

The general rule is as follows: you must clear plates and cutlery only when ALL the guests have finished the course. For Wine Etiquette, removing a guest’s plate from the table while others are still eating is not a good rule. This action would embarrass the rest of the diners, who will be led to finish the dish quickly. The same rule applies to wine glasses: you should clear wine glasses when ALL diners have finished drinking.

You want to serve more wines during the meal. You have put on the table specific glasses for each wine. In these cases, the glasses for the first wine should be removed when everyone has finished drinking and before serving the next course and the new wine. If you plan to serve a white wine for the appetizer and then a red wine for the next courses, the glass for the white wine should be left on the table until all the diners have finished the course for which it was served. Then you can remove the glass for the white wine, while the glass for the red wine must remain on the table.

Dessert wine glasses should be brought to the table only before serving dessert and only after removing every other wine glass from the table. No wine glass, except the one for the dessert, must remain on the table.

Finally, another very important rule: only the glass of water must always be kept on the table, at every course. It is the last glass to be removed, only after customers or guests have left the table.

Did you know these rules? Did you always follow them?