In our article, we explain when you should fill the glass of your guests. Let’s see what Wine Etiquette says and the debate that has arisen among the wine experts.

When should you pour (again) wine to the guests?

Let’s start with a clarification, another question closely related to the one that gives the title to our article, whose answer helps us to contextualize the theme. Who should pour and fill the glass of wine of guests or diners? Who invited other people to dinner or lunch, the host or, if we are at the restaurant, the sommelier or waiter will have to take care of it. Not all restaurants provide this service and, often, after tasting, the "management of the bottle" is left to diners. In these cases, it should be the most experienced of the group to take on the task of filling the glasses of other people at the table. If the number of guests is remarkable, the Wine Etiquette suggests that every guest should "take care" of the wine service of those who are in the next places, especially of the ladies.

Now let’s go to our question. Let’s imagine a situation with a few guests at home for a dinner. Who invited friends or relatives is responsible for pouring wine, a first time, in the glass of other diners. At this point, when should the host pour the nectar into their glasses a second time? Should the host wait for the glass to be empty? Should the host ask for permission to pour the wine?

Can you answer these questions? If you want to know more, keep reading because below we’ll tell you what you should do in these situations.

One of the classic rules of etiquette says: the glass of the guest should never be completely empty. This means that those who have the task of pouring wine should not wait for the glass to be empty. The glass should be refilled when it is almost finished. Some experts suggest that you should calculate the last sip before filling the glass.

Why shouldn’t you wait until the glass is empty before filling it again? Waiting for the glass of wine to be empty, before filling it again, means giving little attention to guests who, on the contrary, should be treated with the utmost care.

Recently, some experts have advanced an opposite thesis to the classic version, claiming the need to wait for the glass to be empty before pouring the wine again. Why? Because filling the glass before it is empty could be an action that the guest considers an intrusion. What do you think? Do you agree with the first hypothesis, the traditional one, or the second one?

In any case, before pouring wine in the glass you must have the consent of the guest. Who pours can simply ask to fill the glass, or just a gesture or bring the bottle to the glass of the diner and wait for the ok. Otherwise, the wine must not be poured again.

We hope that the few minutes you needed to read our article have helped you to find the answers you were looking for. Now you should know when to pour wine to your guests!