What is the proper way to hold a bottle of wine or champagne and pour from it?

Question

In my company, they trained us a new service on how to handle the bottles in the cabin.

If the glass is already on the passengers table, so I go out to the cabin without a tray holding the bottle of wine, champagne or water from the bottom (all my fingers are pointing up) and the other hand holding a diamond shape napkin cloth.

If I’m going out with the glass so I will put it on a tray with a paper napkin and the bottle of wine. I put the paper napkin on the table then the glass and then I hold the bottle from the middle with the index finger pointing up and the rest surrounding the bottle like a non-complete circle.

Of course with both ways the label should be facing the guest and I must pour some for tasting before accepting. Now my question: is the first way a correct way to hold a bottle? For me it’s very difficult and it hurts the wrest while pouring. I just want to know the point of view of restaurant, fine dining and etiquette specialists. Any help?

Answer 1

Ask your boss. How they want you to do it is how you should do it, even if all the other restaurants, cruise ships and so forth in the world do it differently. If your hands are small, your boss may make some suggestions to help you.