Professional Drinking Book

Far too often, powerful and intelligent executives are reduced to a quivering mess of jelly when handed the wine list at a fine restaurant. They’re completely out of their element and wary of being embarrassed in front of important business partners or even friends and colleagues. Unfortunately, the usual way to learn has been by making mistakes, which is mostly how I did it, or by subtly asking for the advice of a friendly and knowledgeable business associate.

Professional Drinking takes on that challenge by offering a clear understanding of entertaining around wine and spirits, including the basics of booze and how to handle yourself like a pro in a restaurant, at a business event, and at home. If you want to be comfortable in all of these settings—and learn a bunch of great tips, enjoy fun stories, and have a few laughs along the way—this is the book for you.

We will cover the basics of the most popular wine and spirits, the most common questions, and some suggestions from a professional drinker. Then we will head into the restaurant environment, where most business entertaining happens. You’ll learn how to handle yourself with the wine list, working with a sommelier, tipping, and a bunch of potentially socially disastrous and embarrassing situations. We then wrap up by entertaining at home, when to do it, and how to do it with elegance.

If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to wine, spirits, and cocktails, this isn’t it. I have found that the more a book presents, the less I retain. The good news is that you will be armed with the basics you need to feel confident in almost any business entertaining situation—and hopefully not be too bothered when you don’t know something.

Many people take wine too seriously, especially in professional settings. It’s designed to loosen people up and to have a good time. To be fun.

There are very few bad wines out there and all wine fits a purpose, even cheap wine. If you’re getting the chance to sip wine with friends, any wine, while having a great time, what could be better?

 That leads me to my two most basic wine rules:

• Rule #1: Like ice cream, sex, and pizza, there is no bad wine.
• Rule #2: Wine is fun.

So, grab a glass, find a comfy seat, and let’s explore the world of professional drinking together.