Drink Wine Like a Pro!
From opening the bottle to taking the last sip, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to drink wine like a pro!
1. Serve your wine at the proper temperature – To get the best taste out of your wine, make sure you serve it at the ideal temperature. Red wines should be served slightly below room temperature (most red wines taste best between 55-65 degrees F), whereas white wines are much better when chilled (between 41 degrees and 48 degrees F).
2. Use the right wine glass – When drinking white wine, choose glasses that have narrower bowls with a tapered top. This will allow for greater aromatic concentration, making the intensity of the smells and flavors of your wine last longer.
Red wine needs to oxidize in order for its flavor to fully develop, which is why red wine glasses are typically larger. Because of their bowl shape, red wine glasses allow more of the wine to come into contact with the air. As the red wine breathes, the character of the wine becomes richer and more pronounced.
3. Experience the aroma – Swirl the wine in your glass to expose it to a larger surface area. This increases wine’s contact with air and intensifies its aroma. Swirl your wine by holding the glass by the base or by the stem. Smell your wine as you swirl it to take in the aromas. Common aromas include different fruits, spices, herbs, and flowers.
- Be sure to smell the wine several times, swirling before each smell. A complex wine will offer multiples scents, and taking in each scent will intensify the wines flavor.
- The overall taste of a wine is a combination of smells and flavors, so it’s important that you don’t skip the smelling stage.
4. Taste the wine – Taste your wine in small sips. Roll the wine across your taste buds by lightly swishing it around your mouth. Hold the wine in your mouth for 5-10 seconds before swallowing to really absorb the flavor. After swallowing, notice the aftertaste, or finish. High quality wines tend to have a more defined the finish. A good finish will linger on your palate for quite some time.
5. Sip your wine – Wine is best when sipped and savored, as opposed to being gulped down. Take a small-to-medium sized sips of wine, and hold the wine in the center of your tongue before swallowing. This will allow you to taste the complex flavors of the wine.
- Red wine is typically rich in flavor and is much better when sipped and savored. It can be served with dinner or dessert, or be sipped on its own. Drink your wine slowly so that you can truly appreciate its flavor. Swirl your wine before taking every sip, this will allow your wine to oxidize even more.
- White wine can be sipped on its own, but also goes well with a variety of meals and desserts. White wines tend to be more refreshing than reds, so they balance out rich flavors nicely. Take one small sip of wine at a time, and let the flavor of the wine settle on your taste buds before swallowing.
Pro Tip: Know how to pair your wine with the proper food – There are a few factors to consider when pairing your wine with food – it’s easiest to think of pairing as a balancing act. For example, sparkling wines go perfectly with salty, fried foods. The carbonation and acids emulate beer and clean the salt from your palate with each sip. For more info, check this article out!
By the way, did you know that more than 50 restaurants have been awarded the best place to drink wine? Check out the list here and take your new wine drinking skills out on the town!
