There’s something annoying about people who praise their own cooking,too. A basic rule of good manners is to show your appreciation of a meal that a friend has spent their valuable time and energy preparing;it’s gauche to praise your own competence.

Those who do will probably find their guests reluctant to agree with them – out loud,at least. It’s like,“He’s already raved about his own food;there’s no point me showering praise on it.” Or more likely,“I’m not going to stroke his ego by agreeing with him.”

And it’s usually a bloke who’s at fault;women are less inclined to have a fragile culinary ego that needs constant praise. I always recall the celebrity American chef Mario Batali tellingNew Yorkmagazine some years back that women “don’t cook to compete;they cook to feed people”.

It’s also good manners to say nothing if the dinner,or the wine,falls short of the mark. Entire books have been written on the subject of dinner-party etiquette,but the problem,as always,is that those who would most benefit from reading such books rarely do.

Back to your question. Tact is a virtue. Say nothing,enjoy your wine and rejoice in private.

Or maybe you’re the problem. Maybe your wines aren’t up to snuff. In which case,try harder!