Storing, Pouring and Enjoying Wine

We often get asked about the proper etiquette for storing, pouring and enjoying wine. When it comes to wine etiquette, think back to the number one rule of food and wine pairing – whatever works best for you is the best way to enjoy wine. With that said, there are some guidelines that can help make the experience more enjoyable (no more pouring corked bottles of wine for your guests!) and help you relax when you have a household of guests to serve. With the holidays upon us, we’ve prepared these handy tips.

Storing Wine
Not everyone has to have a world class cellar (or any cellar for the matter) to properly store and enjoy their wine. Just be sure to keep your wine in a cool place that is away from direct sunlight. A cool, dark closet is a great place to store wine. And although many of us keep wine in the kitchen, this is not the best place for storage. Those dreaded 6 bottle racks that sit on top of the refrigerator are the worst. They break all three rules of wine storage – avoid light, avoid heat and avoid vibration. Your hallway closet or garage are much better options.

The ideal conditions for long term storage of wine are 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit with about 70% humidity. You also want to keep your wine stored at a fairly constant temperature as temperature swings can affect the wine.

Pouring Wine
Having the right glasses on hand can enhance the aromas and overall experience of a wine. But don’t worry if you don’t think you have the proper glassware. Wine can be enjoyed in a tumbler just as much as it can in Riedel stemware.

If you open up an older bottle of wine, be sure to check that it is not spoiled, discreetly decant it (no one likes a big show of the decanting process) and make sure that the last person to receive a glass of wine doesn’t end up with a glass full of sediment. Decanting a wine can separate the wine from the sediment in an older bottle of wine or soften the tannins of a younger bottle of red wine. There is no need to decant a white wine.

You definitely want to avoid pouring a corked bottle of wine for your guests. The best way to describe the smell of a corked bottle of wine is a wet cardboard or moldy smell. If a wine is badly corked, you should be able to pick this smell up fairly easily. If it’s only slightly corked, you may miss it. A crumbled cork in a bottle does not necessarily mean a corked bottle of wine. If your bottle smells off, ask someone else for a second opinion. It may take a few tries to get it right but once you learn the smell of a corked bottle of wine, you will hardly ever mistake it again!

Enjoying Wine
One of the number one questions on people’s minds when they are hosting a dinner party is how much wine they should have on hand. If you are only serving wine, the rule of thumb is ½ bottle of wine per guest for every 2 hours. You can plan on less if other alcohol is being served.

Proper temperature can also be an important factor in enjoying wine. It’s best to err on the cooler side for both red and white wine. A wine that is served to warm will accentuate the alcohol in a wine.

Written by Linzi