1. Serve Your Reds Warm And Whites Cold
Serve red wine room temperature, but if served too warm the wine will not retain its acidic taste and could feel ‘flabby’ in the mouth. White wine should be serve cold, but if served too cold the wine tends to lose its flavour. The ideal temperature for red wine to be served is no warmer than 65 degrees and for white wines it’s around 45 degrees.
2. Working the Cork
For red wines, you should remove the cork about an hour before you drink it. White wines tend to diminish in quality the longer you keep the bottle open at room temperature. Uncork just before you serve your guests.
3. Precise Fill
Never fill a wine glass to the brim, always fill red wine glasses one-third full, white wine glasses one-half full and sparkling wines, like champagne, about three-quarters full.
4. Sniff Smartly
It’s not pretentious to give wine a sniff, it’s smart. Some people like to take short, quick sniffs, while others like to inhale a deep whiff of the wine’s smell. Keeping your mouth open a bit while you inhale can help you perceive aromas.
5. Dining Out
If you are having difficulty selecting a wine, ask your server /sommelier for suggestions based on your budget and your meal. A trained server/sommelier should be experienced in pairing your meal with your wine. While dining out when you tend to share a bottle with friends, ensure that your wine selection compliments everyone’s meal or choice.
6. Dining At Home
A lighter white wine is generally suitable before dinner. Remember to serve it at the correct temperature. The temperature that the wine is stored and served at can alter the chemistry of the wine.
7. Let Your Wine Breathe
The simplest way to do this is to just let wine sit in the glass. Swirling the wine in your glass can oxidize it too – a practice that has been followed for at least three centuries now.
8. Proper Pour
Sparkling wines should be poured gently, so that the bubbles are preserved. Take care to pour the wine in the center of the glass to enable the aroma to float upwards.
9. Wine As A Gift
When you are invited to someone’s home for dinner, a bottle of wine is an appropriate and thoughtful gift for your host/hostess.
If you are gifting wine to a good friend, choose a bottle you know they will enjoy. For example, if your host or hostess enjoys desserts, go with champagne or a sparkling wine.
For vintage lovers, choose a price point and look for a featured wine of that vintage.
On the presentation front, tissue paper with a ribbon or a wine specific gift bag are always a great way to gift your bottle. An accessory such as a cork screw or a wine stopper is the perfect accessory to go along with your bottle.