Business dinners can be tricky to navigate, especially if this is your first time hosting a new client, networking with an industry titan or taking out your employees.

While not understanding wine probably won’t make or break your dinner, it could indicate a lack of preparation, which some look upon as poor performance. On the other hand, a solid understanding of wine could improve everyone’s experience and facilitate the dinner moving forward.

For entrepreneurs who spend their days capturing industry share instead of sipping new blends at the local winery, ordering wine can feel like a crucible. Your fingers feel damp as you hold the wine list. All eyes are on you. The waiter hovers. What do you do?

Decide whether you’ll order for yourself or for the whole table.

If you’re new to the world of wine, it’s probably best to allow your guests to order their own wine. However, because you’re picking up the tab, it might be necessary to order for the whole table.