How to serve wine is the topic for this installment of our wine guide…
Firstly, the temperature; white wine should be served at about 55°F and red wine at about 65°F. This is significantly less than room temperature, which in most houses is about 75°F. To chill wine to the correct temperature you should place it in a fridge for 1-2 hours prior to serving. However, you shouldn’t store it in a fridge for a longer time than this as it will leave the wine tasting flat. Also, avoid placing it in a freezer to quicken the cooling time as this will again damage the wine.
Secondly, the opening of the bottle; use a sharp knife to remove any metal foil covering the cork and ensure that no uneven bits are left which could result in dribbles. Most corkscrews do a fine job of removing corks but if you end up with a broken / split cork then you should push it into the bottle and then pour the wine into a jug. If you think that some small pieces of cork may have gotten into the wine you could also filter the wine using a kitchen funnel and a coffee filter.
Thirdly, the wine glasses; tulip shaped ones (with a wider bowl and tapering narrow at the top) with a long stem are ideal. Such glasses make swirling the wine to release its taste and aromas easier and avoid your hands heating up the wine whilst you’re holding the glass. Also, if you’re drinking a variety of wines you should use a different glass for each as residue is invariably left over in a glass after you’ve finished a wine and it will interfere with the qualities of later wines drunk from the same glass.
Lastly, the pouring of the wine; a glass should never be filled to the top as the wine won’t have enough space to ‘breathe’ and it increases the chance of spillages. A third to half full glass is recommended, with a standard serving wine being 30ml. When pouring, hold the bottle by its base and give your wrist a small twist as you finish pouring to avoid any dribbles.
Want to know more about wine? Take a look at our free guide: Wine 101