Was That Wrong

In the unspoken etiquette of dinner parties, a bottle of wine brought by a guest typically becomes a gift for the host, a contribution to their collection, or a choice for the evening's libations at the host's discretion. By reclaiming your bottle after it was not served, you've stumbled into a faux pas. The wine's journey, once gifted, should be considered one-way. Your action, though perhaps borne out of a sense of unacknowledged contribution, breaches the tacit agreement that once a gift is given, its fate rests in the hands of the receiver. A more socially adroit move would have been to leave the wine behind, allowing your host the pleasure of enjoying it at a later date or with other company. This would have shown generosity and respect for the host's choices. Taking the bottle back, especially without mentioning it, could be seen as a sign of displeasure or pettiness, and that, in the delicate ballet of social grace, is indeed where you strayed.