Does it matter what wine is poured when the intention is to seduce? And if so, what bottles might it be good to open? I ask these questions because I was browsing in wine merchants Lea & Sandeman last Friday when a chap, who I’ll call Mr X, walked in and asked for help.

“I have an important date tonight,” I overheard him say. “She likes white wine. What should I buy?” He twinkled. “My life is in your hands.”

Unwisely, I interfered. I don’t know what came over me, but I gave him the most terrible advice. If wine choice matters, Mr X might well be miserably logging into match.com and cursing me right now.

The American writer Jay McInerney once wrote that his friends favoured fragrant, heady Condrieu when an important date was in prospect – a good plan, so long as the Condrieu is freshly young and not heavily oaked. I had Mr X buying sancerre (a reasonable choice) for stylish ease and godello for interest (a silly idea).