Serve Wines

The process of serving a wine is an art form. If not served correctly, poor service could easily result in spoiling the characteristics of a wine. If you are interested in learning the best ways to serve wines, then consider the following suggestions.

Steps

Opening the bottle

  1. Perfect the art of opening a wine bottle. There are many types of bottle openers on the market, so select the one that best suits you. Practice removing the cork effortlessly, without breaking it, and especially without dropping pieces of cork into the bottle.
    • Alternatively, purchase wine with screw caps. Easy as!

Which temperature?

  1. Learn about the wine you are serving and the temperature it should be. Different wines are best served at different temperatures. Where some wines are best chilled, others need to be served at room temperature for optimum enjoyment. Serving a wine at the wrong temperature can destroy the flavor and aroma, defeating the purpose of the winemaker.
    • Serve Champagne, sparkling wines, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, white Zinfandel, and other white wines at 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (1.67 to 4.44 degrees Celsius). Chill for an hour and a half in a refrigerator. 20 minutes in an ice-water ice bucket would also suffice. Sweet dessert wines and dry sherry should be served in the same manner.
    • Vintage-dated Champagne, high-quality bubbly and barrel-aged wines should also be chilled an hour and half before serving, along with high quality, full-bodied barrel-fermented white wines like white Burgundy and Chardonnay. They should then be brought out 20 minutes before serving. Ideal serving temperature should be 55 degrees (12.78 degrees Celsius), or cellar temperature. This will enhance the mature characters of the vintage wines and the flavors of the quality wines.
    • Serve the majority of red wines at 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.33 degrees Celsius) or after 20 minutes of refrigeration.

Letting the wine breathe

  1. Find out which wines need to breathe oxygen to open up the aroma before serving. Not all wines benefit from breathing, however. For example, Bordeaux should breathe about an hour before serving. Most wines can be served as soon as you open the bottle.
    • When allowing a wine to breathe, pour it into a decanter or glass first, as wines cannot breathe well in a bottle.
    • Don't let the wine breathe too long, however, as this can dull the aroma and flavor.

Serving the wine

  1. Opt to serve wine in a decanter. Not only are decanters aesthetically pleasing, but they improve the taste of the wine. Aged wines, specifically, benefit from being served in a decanter because it removes wine sediments and allows the wine to breathe.
  2. Select wine glasses depending on the type of wine you are serving. Remember that when you are serving a wine, you need to give it space.
    • There are different styles of glasses, specifically designed to highlight the distinct qualities of the wine. For example, the traditional wine glass has a large bowl shape. When filled only a quarter of the way, the space allows for it to be swirled and breathe oxygen.
  3. Don't serve a new wine in the same glass as an old wine. If you have finished a bottle of wine and have opened another, change the glass so that you don't lose the integrity of the wine flavor.
  4. If serving directly to guests or customers:
    • Introduce the wine to the host (the person that ordered the wine) by presenting the wine with the label facing the host.
    • State the vineyard or brand of wine, the type of wine, and the vintage or year of the bottle. This is important to assure you have selected the correct wine.
    • When the guest approves the wine, open it and present the cork to the host by placing it in front of their wine glass or by handing it to the host. The cork can indicate that a wine is good or bad.
    • Pour a very small amount into the host's glass for the tasting and wait. If the host indicates that the wine is acceptable you do not pour more into the host's glass until everyone else is served.
    • While serving the wine you must keep the label facing the guest, and pour only one fourth of the glass or about 3 oz. Remember you can always pour more but it is very embarrassing to run out before everyone has a glass. Serving clockwise around the table with ladies first. The last glass to be poured is for the host.
    • If there are more than 5 guests it is proper to suggest two bottles.



Tips

  • If you happen to drop pieces of cork into the bottle, learn how to remove the cork by tilting the bottle and flicking the opening in a quick swift action. The cork should come out with only a little of the wine.
  • If you are serving to a large group and/or there is a mix of white and red wine drinkers, it is best to present both glasses to each guest asking for their preference. If the host ordered all the bottles of wines then give the host a glass for each bottle. Presenting one bottle at a time starting with the whites and serving the bottle before opening a new one.
  • A wine funnel and screen will filter out the cork pieces into a decanter. This also will filter out any crystals that may have naturally formed from the sugars in the wine.
  • Pair your wines with complementing foods. Wine is typically paired with foods that complement or contrast their intensity, taste, weight and aroma. For example, pair a full-bodied red wine such as Bordeaux or Cabernet with steak. Chardonnay, Burgundy or a light, red wine pairs well with chicken. Pair white, light and medium bodied wines, such as Chablis or Pinot Grigio, with fish.

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