- How to store wine
- At what temperature should wine be served
- How to open a bottle of wine
- What kind of wine glass should you use
- How to decant wine and why
- How to pour wine
- How to taste wine
- How to store an opened bottle of wine
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Introduction
This guide is a step by step tutorial on how to store, serve and enjoy wine. To read, just scroll down, or go to any specific section by clicking on the following links:
How to Store Wine
Wine must be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Ideally, wine bottles should be stored on their side so that the wine keeps the cork moist and air tight.
At what temperature should wine be served
The temperature at which wine is served has a tremendous impact on its taste. Serving wine too cold or too warm will negatively affect its taste and qualities.
A conventional rule of thumb is that red wine should be served at room temperature while white wine should be served chilled. However, we need to be more precise, since room temperature varies from city to city and season to season, and some refrigerators may be set too cold.
On average, for best results, wine must be served at the following temperatures:
In the last few years, portable wine cellars have become popular. These small refrigerators can be set up at the optimal wine temperature and can store a few or many bottles of wine. It is now possible to buy an entry level wine cellar for around $100.
If you don’t have a wine cellar and you use your refrigerator instead, there is a rule of thumb that will tell you how far in advance you must put the bottle in the refrigerator (or remove it if it’s already there) to achieve the best serving temperature:
A bottle of wine will cool 2 °C (4 °F) for every ten minutes in the refrigerator, and will warm at about this same rate when removed from the refrigerator and left at room temperature.
A conventional rule of thumb is that red wine should be served at room temperature while white wine should be served chilled. However, we need to be more precise, since room temperature varies from city to city and season to season, and some refrigerators may be set too cold.
On average, for best results, wine must be served at the following temperatures:
- Sparking Wine: 48˚F (9˚ C)
- White Wine: 53˚F (12˚ C)
- Rose Wine: 51˚F (11˚ C)
- Red Wine: 62˚F (17˚ C)
In the last few years, portable wine cellars have become popular. These small refrigerators can be set up at the optimal wine temperature and can store a few or many bottles of wine. It is now possible to buy an entry level wine cellar for around $100.
If you don’t have a wine cellar and you use your refrigerator instead, there is a rule of thumb that will tell you how far in advance you must put the bottle in the refrigerator (or remove it if it’s already there) to achieve the best serving temperature:
A bottle of wine will cool 2 °C (4 °F) for every ten minutes in the refrigerator, and will warm at about this same rate when removed from the refrigerator and left at room temperature.
How to open a bottle of wine
There are many different kinds of corkscrews, however my favorite is still the traditional waiter's corkscrew:
The traditional waiter’s corkscrew has four components:
1) The main body, usually slightly curved to fit better to the palm of the hand.
2) A fold-away foil cutter blade.
3) A screw
4) A hinged lever, to provide leverage so the cork can be pulled up and removed.
To open a wine bottle, we must first use the blade to cut-off the foil around the top of the bottle. Be careful to remove enough foil (about ½” from the top) so that the wine doesn’t come in contact with the foil when the wine is poured.
Next, insert the tip of the screw at the center of the cork’s surface and insert the rest of the screw by slowly turning clockwise. Don’t introduce the screw all the way through the cork to avoid cork particles falling in the wine.
Finally, rest the small hook in the lever on the tip of the bottle to create a pivot point and pull out the cork.
The following video shows how to use a waiter’s corkscrew to open a bottle of wine:
The traditional waiter’s corkscrew has four components:
1) The main body, usually slightly curved to fit better to the palm of the hand.
2) A fold-away foil cutter blade.
3) A screw
4) A hinged lever, to provide leverage so the cork can be pulled up and removed.
To open a wine bottle, we must first use the blade to cut-off the foil around the top of the bottle. Be careful to remove enough foil (about ½” from the top) so that the wine doesn’t come in contact with the foil when the wine is poured.
Next, insert the tip of the screw at the center of the cork’s surface and insert the rest of the screw by slowly turning clockwise. Don’t introduce the screw all the way through the cork to avoid cork particles falling in the wine.
Finally, rest the small hook in the lever on the tip of the bottle to create a pivot point and pull out the cork.
The following video shows how to use a waiter’s corkscrew to open a bottle of wine:
What kind of wine glass should you use
Wine glasses must be plain and transparent, so that you can appreciate the wine’s color, and made of glass or crystal. Wine glasses must also have a stem to hold the glass without warming the wine with the heat of your hands.
While some people advocate the use of different glasses for wines from different grape varieties, I prefer to keep things simple with three glass options: glasses for red wine, for white wine and for sparkling wine.
Red wine
Red wine glasses are wider, with a very large bowl, since red wine needs to be swirled around to come in contact with the oxygen, and benefit from a larger area of contact with the air.
The best wine glasses are made by Riedel
and can be as tall as a bottle of wine.
White Wine
White wine glasses are tulip shaped. They are smaller than red wine glasses. The reduced surface area of contact with the wine prevents the white wine to warm up too fast.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine glasses are small and flute shaped (tall and thin). The reduced surface area of contact keeps the wine colder and the flute shape allows for the proper development of bubbles.
While some people advocate the use of different glasses for wines from different grape varieties, I prefer to keep things simple with three glass options: glasses for red wine, for white wine and for sparkling wine.
Red wine
Red wine glasses are wider, with a very large bowl, since red wine needs to be swirled around to come in contact with the oxygen, and benefit from a larger area of contact with the air.
The best wine glasses are made by Riedel
White Wine
White wine glasses are tulip shaped. They are smaller than red wine glasses. The reduced surface area of contact with the wine prevents the white wine to warm up too fast.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine glasses are small and flute shaped (tall and thin). The reduced surface area of contact keeps the wine colder and the flute shape allows for the proper development of bubbles.
How to decant wine
The process of transferring the wine from one container (bottle) to another (decanter) greatly enhances the qualities of almost any wine. Although the process of decanting is recommended for older wines, it can also make younger, less expensive wines come to life.
Decanting wine serves two purposes:
Decanting young wines is easy: just pour the wine directly to the decanter and let rest around 15 minutes before serving.
Decanting older wines is slightly more tricky because you must be careful not to pour the sediment.
You start by letting the bottle rest in an upright position for several hours (or even days) so that the sediment collects at the bottom. You then open the bottle and start pouring the wine slowly into a decanter against a good light (you can use a flashlight), to make sure that no sediment is poured.
Towards the end of the bottle the sediment will start creeping up, at which point you must stop pouring. You can either discard the remaining wine or strain it into a wine glass using a coffee filter.
Similar to wine glasses, decanters must be plain and transparent, so you can appreciate the wine. To clean your decanter, use very hot water only (no detergent). You can also use a mixture of crushed ice and salt and rinse with abundant cold water.
Decanting wine serves two purposes:
- It allows you to separate older wines from their sediments, which if left in the wine would impart a bitter, astringent taste.
- It allows the wine to slowly come in contact with the air, aerating the wine and making its complex aromas and flavors come to life.
Decanting young wines is easy: just pour the wine directly to the decanter and let rest around 15 minutes before serving.
Decanting older wines is slightly more tricky because you must be careful not to pour the sediment.
You start by letting the bottle rest in an upright position for several hours (or even days) so that the sediment collects at the bottom. You then open the bottle and start pouring the wine slowly into a decanter against a good light (you can use a flashlight), to make sure that no sediment is poured.
Towards the end of the bottle the sediment will start creeping up, at which point you must stop pouring. You can either discard the remaining wine or strain it into a wine glass using a coffee filter.
Similar to wine glasses, decanters must be plain and transparent, so you can appreciate the wine. To clean your decanter, use very hot water only (no detergent). You can also use a mixture of crushed ice and salt and rinse with abundant cold water.
How to pour wine
Photo by Christina SnyderWine must be poured slowly toward the center of the glass. The glass should be filled only up to slightly below the widest section of the glass (usually less than half a glass), so that the guest can swirl the wine without risk of spillage (see section Tasting Wine). Finish pouring the wine tilting the tip of the bottle upwards and slightly rotating your hand, so that the wine doesn’t drip.
How to taste wine
The first step when tasting one is to inspect the cork. The cork must be intact and the only trace of wine must be at the bottom of the cork. If the cork appears moist, cracked or has wine stains on the sides or top, it most likely means that the wine has been exposed and is not in good condition.
Another possibility is that the cork is hard and dry; a dry cork won’t be air tight and may be the sign of an exposed wine. You can also give the cork a quick sniff to see if you detect a moldy smell, which is a sure sign that wine has gone bad.
Photo by MShades
If the cork seems OK, the next step is to pour a small amount of wine into the glass and swirl it vigorously by lightly pressing the bottom of the glass against the table and follow with a circular motion of your hand (be careful not to spill the wine). By swirling the wine, you will increase the wine’s surface of contact with the air and allow it to release its aroma.
You can then pour more wine into the glass (about one third full, but never more than half) and proceed to enjoy your wine. If you have guests, serve the women and older persons first, followed by the rest of the people and you at the end.
You can continue to swirl the wine and bringing your nose close to the glass to feel the wine's aroma before sipping it. This short video will teach you how to do it:
Another possibility is that the cork is hard and dry; a dry cork won’t be air tight and may be the sign of an exposed wine. You can also give the cork a quick sniff to see if you detect a moldy smell, which is a sure sign that wine has gone bad.
Photo by MShadesIf the cork seems OK, the next step is to pour a small amount of wine into the glass and swirl it vigorously by lightly pressing the bottom of the glass against the table and follow with a circular motion of your hand (be careful not to spill the wine). By swirling the wine, you will increase the wine’s surface of contact with the air and allow it to release its aroma.
You can then pour more wine into the glass (about one third full, but never more than half) and proceed to enjoy your wine. If you have guests, serve the women and older persons first, followed by the rest of the people and you at the end.
You can continue to swirl the wine and bringing your nose close to the glass to feel the wine's aroma before sipping it. This short video will teach you how to do it:
How to store an opened bottle of wine
You can store an open bottle of wine in the refrigerator for up to 5 days without a negative effect on the wine's taste. Just remember to remove the bottle from the refrigerator with enough time for the wine to achieve its optimal temperature. As a rule of thumb, wine will warm up 4 degrees Fahrenheit every 10 minutes. If you know the temperature in your refrigerator, you can easily calculate how long you must wait before drinking the wine.
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