No matter if you’re a true wine connoisseur or just looking for tips on how to drink your new Santa Julia Malbec, there are a couple of things to keep in mind in order to get the most out of your experience.
In order to ensure you get a more authentic experience, do…
Hold your glass by the stem not the bowl
The design of wine glasses isn’t there just for aesthetics, but it exists for very clear purpose. Holding your wine glass by the stem allows you to take a clear look at the wine and its composition, and to preserve its temperature for longer (it will also help you not offend the wine connoisseurs around you). Not only that but holding it by the bowl will also smudge up the glass – long story short, this is a good rule of thumb to follow every time whether you’re drinking at home or at a fancy restaurant.
Of course, this isn’t mandatory if you’re drinking from a normal glass, but if you prefer doing things by the book then using a stem glass is the ideal way to drink wine.
Decant your wine
This one is a must, especially if you are drinking a fine red wine. Usually, you’ll need a wine decanter for this, where you’ll pour your wine and let it sit for a while before drinking (note that different wines will need different decanting times).
Decanting is essential for a couple of reasons: it helps remove any sediment formed in the bottle over time (this is much more of an issue in red wines specifically), and it also exposes the wine to air which is known to bring out more flavours.
If you don’t want to ruin the taste of your wine (or your clothes) don’t…
Put ice in your glass
This one is very important to remember especially if you join a wine-tasting session, or even if you are taking part in classier events with other fellow wine drinkers. If you’re just drinking at home with your friends, feel free to ignore this piece of advice, but do know that, besides the judgement you may receive, you may also ruin the taste of the wine you chose.
White and rosé wine is best kept at the appropriate temperature while in the bottle, rather that cooled down using ice cubes. The temperature, as well as the overall balance of all the flavours in the wine contribute to the overall wine experience and putting ice in your drink will alter those carefully-crafted flavours by diluting them with water. Wine pearls are made specifically for people who want to chill their wine even further without altering the taste so consider those instead.
Swirl too hard
Swirling your wine is generally useful for wine tasting, as it releases some of the smells which contribute to an overall more intense tasting experience.
However, don’t go too hard! Swirling should be a gentle round motion, and not too intense – doing it harder won’t change the outcome of the flavour, but it may cause you to spill your wine and spend unnecessary money on dry cleaning.
Fill your glass to the brim
If your goal is to simply drink a bottle of wine with your friends while binging your favourite TV show, then feel free to fill up your glasses as much as you want. However, if you are in a more formal setting or care more about the taste of the wine, filling your glass too much may alter the taste and not let you enjoy it to its fullest. Not just that, but if your glass is too full, then even gentle swirling may result in some damage to your clothes or furniture.
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