It’s very good to invest in a bottle of chic wine to impress who is closest and dearest, but pièce de résistance is how you present it.
According to an important sommelier, the way you serve your wine can enrich its flavor, as well as add a touch of class to the overall experience.
In addition, the style of the glass in which you serve your white or red can also affect your appreciation, as certain varieties are more suited to specific shapes.
The festive season is the perfect time to master the skill of serving wine – and drinking (in moderation) can help you get over it!
Here, Lukasz Kolodziejczyk, director of fine wines at Cult Wines, shares his main tips for serving your best bottle of wine.
According to an important sommelier, the way you serve your wine can enrich its flavor, as well as add a touch of class to the overall experience. Stock Image
START DECANTING
Decanting should ideally take place before you even think about pouring a glass.
The act of decanting has two functions. Firstly, to prevent natural sediment from reaching your glass and, secondly, to help the wine to air and ‘open’ before it is drunk.
Of course, the process also serves an aesthetic purpose, as an elegant crystal decanter is an excellent centerpiece.
There are many different shapes and styles of decanters available, but sometimes we need to remember the main reason why you would decant a bottle of wine.
The wine needs to breathe, some more than others, but the ideal would be to give the maximum surface area to allow the decanter to do its job.
Wider decanters, like the Riedel Decanter Ultra, on the left, are good for full-bodied red and white oak wines, while a narrower one, like the Zalto Carafe 75ml, on the right, is more suitable for white wines that don’t require as much space for awaken the characteristics
The wider the decanter base, the better – especially for full-bodied red and white oak wines. The increased surface area you give will improve aeration and bring out the best in your wine, its flavors and aromas will develop further during decantation.
Younger, tannic wines usually require more time to open – some may benefit from decanting several hours before drinking. Older and more mature wines generally take less time to reach their full potential.
A narrower decanter is more suitable for white wines that do not need as much space to awaken characteristics when transferred from the bottle.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT GLASS
It is your home and your rules, so you can really serve your wine however you want. However, wine experts widely agree that the right style of wine glass, combined with the right wine, will make all the difference in your tasting experience.
There are dozens of styles of glass to choose from, and for the tempered wine drinker, this can require a lot of closet space.
Fortunately, there are many attractive “universal” glass options on the market, as well as those designed for specific varieties.
Bordeaux / Merlot / Cabernet
Red wines like Merlot, Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon benefit from a tall glass of wine with a large bowl that tapers slightly towards its opening
The goblets for these wines are usually the tallest you’ll find, with a large bowl that narrows slightly towards the opening.
This allows you to really put your nose in the glass for a good smell and for the ethanol to evaporate easily, helping the wine to have a softer taste and enhancing the flavors of the fruits.
Syrah / Shiraz / Malbec / Sangiovese
Reds, including Syrah, Shiraz, Malbec and Sangiovese, are best served in a smaller glass with a smaller opening to help soften the wine
These wines tend to have more tannic and spicy flavors, so their corresponding glass has a slightly smaller bowl with a smaller opening.
This helps to soften the wine as it reaches your palette more slowly. A higher degree of tapering, however, helps to retain the aromas so that you can enjoy the flavors of the wine to the fullest.
Burgundy / Pinot Noir
A juicy Burgundy or Pinot Noir red wine is best suited for a glass with a large bowl to allow more oxygen to come into contact with the wine
Glasses for these wines are generally the widest and shortest styles.
A wide bowl allows a greater amount of oxygen to come into contact with the wine, while the smaller opening and high degree of tapering help to collect the strong aromas of the wine and direct its intense flavors to the right part of the tongue.
Sauvignon Blanc / Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling can be served in the same style and shape of glass – usually medium to long stem and narrow bowl with slight taper
White wine glasses are usually smaller in height and size than red wine glasses. As its aromas are much lighter, this allows the wine to be closer to your nose.
Despite their different characteristics, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling can be served in the same style and shape of glass – usually with medium to long stem and narrow bowl with slight taper.
For Sauvignon Blanc, this helps to minimize oxygen levels in the glass, making it easier to detect wine aromas.
For Riesling, however, it helps to concentrate the aromas in the upper half of the bowl.
Chardonnay
Cups with a large bowl that allows a large surface area are ideal for full-bodied and oak-aged whites like Chardonnay
Glasses designed for Chardonnay are almost the opposite of those designed for Sauvignon Blanc.
These glasses have a large bowl, much like the one found in a Burgundy or Pinot Noir glass, although they are even smaller overall.
The large bowl allows for a large surface area, ideal for full-bodied whites and aged in oak.
LEARN THE LABEL
Generally, it doesn’t really matter who is served first or how, but if you want to do things ‘by the book’, etiquette dictates that women be served first, and glasses should always be filled from the right side of the guest.
Wine producers are also very proud of their creations, and the label on a bottle is a representation of that pride.
Avoid hitting the entire capsule from the top of the bottle – instead, cut it well below the rim of the bottle, so that the wine does not pass over the foil and the label.
SPILL THE RIGHT AMOUNT
Now it’s time to serve the wine! Open the bottle cleanly and quietly (if not decanting) and, leaving the glass on the table, hold the bottle towards the bottom (never by the neck) and gently pour the wine into the glass.
The exact location within the glass does not matter much, as long as you avoid splashing.
Champagne poured with the tilted glass, like beer, retains more gas – which means less sparkling bubbles at the top of the glass. Stock Image
Take special care if it is a sparkling wine – put a small amount in the glass, let the bubbles settle and finish pouring until the glass is three quarters full.
For red and white wines, the usual measure is about 125ml for a smaller portion or 175ml for a medium sized portion.
This is very difficult to do on sight, so usually your best bet is to fill up to the widest part of the glass, or at least a few inches from the rim.
This gives the wine the best opportunity to breathe.
AVOID THE FEARED DRIBBLE
No one likes a sloppy spill, and even if you follow the advice above to the letter, your efforts can easily be undone by a dripping drip at the end.
As soon as you finish serving, before pulling the bottle, take a quick turn with your wrist and then tilt it upwards.
You can also keep a clean white cloth nearby to clean the bottle’s mouth afterwards, just in case.
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