Temperature
A key component to enjoying a wine is its temperature.
Most people serve white wines too cold and reds too warm. A wine that is too cold or warm, represses its flavors and aromas.
Use these temperature guidelines to get all that a wine has to offer:
Whites should be served between 50 and 55F. Lighter bodied wines at the colder end and full-bodied ones at the warmer end.
Tip – You can mask most flaws in a cheap, white wine by serving it ice cold.
Red wines should not be served at room temperature. That idea developed in the Middle Ages when a home’s temperature was much cooler. In order to allow a red wine to show its best, it should be served between 55F to 64F. Again, lighter bodied at lower range and full bodied at the higher end.
Tip – If your wine is too warm. Put an ice cube in it for 7 seconds. It will drop the temperature and the time is not long enough to dilute the wine.
Opening a Bottle made Easy
I often see people struggling to open a bottle of wine. Even many restaurant service personnel make mistakes.
Generally, there are two types of cork coverings; Foil and wax. If a cork is underneath wax, place the palm of your hand on the wax for five to ten seconds. Then insert the corkscrew through the wax. There is no need to chip away at the wax. When you pull the cork, (using the method below), the wax will break evenly and come off with the cork.
Foil coverings are more common. If you don’t have a foil cutter, you can use the little blade that is on most corkscrews. Just remember to cut the foil in one continuous motion.
Removing the cork.
Hold the bottle by the neck with one hand and insert the corkscrew directly in the center of the cork. Do not insert it on an angle. Screw the corkscrew in. Do not turn the bottle, only the corkscrew. Make sure it is deep into the cork before attempting to pull it out.
Glasses
There is no shortage of glasses designed to enhance the drinking experience but the most important rule is to make sure they are clean and odor free.
Always smell your glass before you pour any wine into it. If it has a little odor, breath into the glass. Often times this will neutralize a smell.
Alternatively, you can prime your glass. Pour a little of the wine you will drink into the glass. Tip the glass onto its side and roll the glass, spreading a thin film of wine along the sides of the glass. Then dump that wine and pour yourself a glass.
A Quick Word on Storage
If you do not have a refrigerated space to store your wine, find a cool, dark place in your home. Light and swings in temperature, along with oxygen, are the enemies you must protect your wine from.