商务宴会上该如何点酒?

We were conducting a wine-tasting dinner for our company last month with some pretty high-level executives from a broad spectrum of industries. What they all had in common was this question: When I'm at a business dinner and they hand me the wine list (either because they think I know something about wine or because of my position), what the heck am I supposed to do?

上个月我们为本公司举办了一场葡萄酒品尝晚宴，赴会的有一些来自各行业的级别相当高的主管。他们都问到一个同样的问题：在商务晚宴上别人把酒单递给我时（或是因为他们以为我懂点葡萄酒或是因我担任的职务的缘故），我到底该怎么应付呢？

John answered in one word: 'Cheat.' To which several people replied: 'Cheap?' Well, yes, but let's start at the beginning.

约翰的回答是一个词：“忽悠”。有几个人回应道：“便宜？”（译者注：英文中CHEAT和CHEAP仅一字母之差，且读音非常相似）嗯，两者都对。但还是让我们从头说起。

Ordering the wine at a business function is not unimportant. Business people are judged by just about everything they do, and an ability to order wine crisply and well probably takes on far more significance than it should. When we first wrote about this issue in 2000, we quoted someone who still remembered a young associate, 20 years earlier, nervously looking over the wine list and finally telling the sommelier, 'I think we'll try the Lancers.' In fact, this situation is even more fraught than it was in 2000 because of the recession. Back then, the person forced to choose the wine could simply focus on a California cult Cabernet or some other fancy bottle and everybody would be happy. These days, the bottom line when it comes to wine really is the bottom line. Successful business people are supposed to be able to identify value - and the wine list is no exception. This is where the 'cheap' comes in.

在商业场合上点酒的能力并非无关紧要。而商务人士的一言一行都会被当作判断其能力高低的依据，点酒是否干脆老练且让人皆大欢喜，或许被赋予了远远超出其本身的意义。我们记得当我们的文章在2000年首次涉及这个话题时，我们引述了某个人讲述的20年前的故事。他记得有位年轻的助理紧张地看着酒单，最后告诉侍酒师，“我想我们就尝尝Lancers吧”。事实上，由于目前经济的不景气，这种事情的发生比2000年还要频繁。在那个年代，被迫点酒者可以索性将重点放在加州California cult Cabernet酒或其它精美的酒上，而这样做也会让人皆大欢喜。如今，点酒的底线还真的是指价格的底线了。成功的商业人士都应该是识货的，在点酒上也不会例外。这就是我们所说的“便宜”的意思。

And here's where 'cheat' comes in: More and more restaurants have their wine lists online. Find it and study it before you go. See what fits into your budget and look up the wines online. By the time you are handed the list, you'll be able to make a snap judgment that will make it appear you know what you're doing and are a quick decision-maker to boot. If the wine list is not online, drop by the restaurant in advance, look over the list and talk with the sommelier. It's a small investment in time that will pay big dividends.

现在我们说说“忽悠”是怎么回事：如今越来越多的餐馆把其酒单放在网上。请你上网找到酒单并在赴宴前对它进行一番推敲，看看有什么酒在你的预算之内，然后在网上了解一下这些酒。这样，当你拿到酒单时就可以迅速做出判断，且这会让你看起来像是很懂行而且是能迅速拿主意的人。如果网上找不到酒单，那就请事先到餐厅走一趟看下酒单并与调酒师聊聊。时间上的这点小投资会让你有大回报的。

Even if this isn't possible, at least spend a few minutes doing some Web browsing on the type of wine likely to be listed. Northern Italian restaurant? You probably will see a delightful, well-priced Barbera. Greek restaurant? At least you can remember that Assyrtiko is the famous white wine from Santorini. If this simply isn't possible, here are some tips:

即使在上述条件不允许的情况下，你至少要在网上花上几分钟对可能出现在酒单上的葡萄酒做些调研。去北意大利风味的餐厅吗？那酒单上可能会出现令人愉悦且价格公道的Barbera酒。去希腊风味餐厅？那你至少可以记住Assyrtiko是著名的产自圣托里尼岛的白葡萄酒。如果所有这一切都不可能，那么下面还有一些建议给你：