 Many
customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years.
None of them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They
are just practices intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
You may find these tips and many more in a publication, Wine
101.
- "White wine with fish and red wine with meat" is
more customary than culinary.
- Red wines are served at room
temperature, while white wines, roses, and champagnes are
served chilled.
- The stronger the food, the stronger the
wine. The lighter the food, the lighter the wine.
- Wine
loves air, which revives its sleeping flavors. It is recommended
to open the bottle about an hour before consumption and
let the wine "breathe".
This ages it a year or so, and allows its flavors to mellow.
- A bottle of wine has to be handled carefully, with the
minimum movement possible. Remember, wine likes to sleep,
only to awaken in your mouth.
- Red wine bottles do not need
to be cleaned or dusted before opening. They are opened
on a hard surface. White wines, rose, and Champagne bottles
are opened in ice buckets.
- Red wines corks are sniffed
to make sure the wine has not spoiled, which gives the
cork an unpleasant smell. It is not necessary to smell
white and rose wine corks since the wine was refrigerated
and the cork will not smell.
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