From a purely economic perspective, it diminishes the appeal of dining out. “If you’re at a location with a broad wine selection and a sommelier, that contributes to what you’re paying for,” states Urbina. “It’s part of the cost.”
Discussing wine with a professional who hasn’t adapted to your speaking and thinking patterns is also a worthwhile investment. This approach not only aids in refining your palate but can facilitate the selection of wines you’ll appreciate in the future.
Viewing wine as a distinct language, relying on AI to choose what to order—hastily, before the sommelier arrives!—is akin to cramming for a test that no one is compelling you to take. But what if you attempted to engage in dialogue with a native speaker? As anyone who has shopped in a Parisian market using their basic French can confirm, you tend to gain much more fluency from those in-person interactions, even (or especially) when they are imperfect.
Skilled hospitality professionals aren’t judging you, either. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being unaware of wine or what to order,” remarks Annie Shi, the co-owner and beverage director of King and Jupiter, and the proprietor of Lei in New York City. “That’s precisely what the staff is here for.”
In contrast to any AI application, a knowledgeable sommelier has sampled every bottle on their menu and can walk you through its subtleties. For example, if you’re considering a Georgian Saperavi to accompany your roast lamb, an AI tool may tell you that Saperavi is a tannic wine. However, the sommelier can clarify why that specific, qvevri-aged bottle is smoother and rounder than its counterparts.
Slowly but surely, you’ve absorbed knowledge about the grape type, Georgia’s winemaking traditions, and how tannins interact with various foods—all without even being aware that you needed to inquire.
“That’s the essence of all of this,” states Chasity Cooper, author of The Wine Conversation Generator. “It’s crucial to set our phones aside and genuinely connect with one another and learn from each other.”
Ultimately, we could simply stay home and sip wine by the blue glow of our screens. One motive we don our formal attire (MAYBE) and venture outside is to experience the elusive charm of restaurants. By allowing AI to take a break, we open ourselves to experiences that no algorithm can foresee. The devices in our pockets could never replicate that.
