Serving Wine

Getting wine from the bottle into the glass isn’t the most difficult of tasks, but there are a few pointers to keep in mind when serving wine.

Before opening

The general rule is that white wine should be served chilled and red wine served at room temperature. If a white blend is meant as a refresher on a hot day, simply drop it into the freezer to get it bitingly cold. When you actually do want to taste the wine’s nuances, just chilling it slightly should do the trick.

Red wines, however, shouldn’t be served cold if you want to enjoy their full flavours and aromas. Red wine served too warm will bring forth an overpowering alcoholic taste. Aim for about 10°C for light, fruity types like Barbera and 15°C for more substantial reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz. Sweeter late-harvest wines can also be served cold. Port and other fortified drinks are best served little under room temperature.

Breathing

When the bottle is uncorked, oxygen immediately floods inside and the wine “breathes”. This is especially good for aged reds making an appearance after years in the cellar. Decanting wine into a glass jug or decanter also gives it an opportunity to breathe. Give it about 20 minutes to half an hour. Generally, white wine is enjoyed for its crispness and therefore doesn’t always need time to breathe.

Pouring

When serving at a private dinner party, there’s really no need to adopt the professional waiter stance, complete with spotless napkin over pouring arm. Pour any way you like, but remember that glasses should never be filled to the brim, or even close to it. Go for about just under halfway so that there’s room to swill the wine before smelling and tasting.

Glasses

For whites and reds, glasses should be tulip-shaped, thinly cut and clean. Make sure they’re wider at the bowl and narrower towards the opening to allow for swilling and smelling at the same time. The longer, narrower flute-shaped glasses are best for sparkling wines and Champagne. Port and other fortified wines are served in shorter tulip-shaped glasses with slightly wider bowls.