Serving Wine

Here are some simple tips that will enhance your enjoyment of wine:

• White wines should be refrigerated for 45–90 minutes prior to serving.
  • Need a quick chill? Place bottles in a bucket of ice water for 10 minutes, rather than putting white wine in the freezer.
• Red wines are best when served at a temperature of 65°.
  • Serve like a true wine connoisseur: Red wine stored at room temperature should be refrigerated for 20 minutes before serving to bring it to a temperature that is slightly higher than cellar temperature.
• Open wine a half-hour before serving to allow it to "breathe." Air revives the wine, opening up its aromas and allowing the flavors to mellow.
• Fill wine glasses slightly less than half full, which lets wine continue to breathe as it’s enjoyed.
• One 750ml bottle of wine will yield four 6-ounce or five 5-ounce glasses.
  • Here is a simple way to determine the number of bottles needed for a party: Multiply number of people you are serving by the average number of glasses each will drink, then divide that number by 5.
• When you’re ordering by the case (12 bottles), divide the number by 12 to determine the total number of cases needed.

Buying Wine

Robert Mondavi said, "Drink what you like, and like what you drink!" Don't be afraid to have fun and experiment with wine.  Remember, "rules" are meant to be broken.

• Experiment and enjoy.  Try the wine tastings offered at may specialty wine shops or grocery stores.  Tasting is a great opportunity to learn what you like and experiment with new varietals. Feel free to ask questions, trust your instincts, and buy what you like.
• Look for food-friendly wines that pair well with a variety of foods.  Sauvignon Blanc is a great "go with anything" white.  Chardonnay is a crowd-pleaser and is delicious with turkey.  A lighter, fruiter red wine such as Pinot Noir is a good match for a wide range of hors d'oeuvres, turkey or ham.  For roasts and red meat, choose a richer red such as a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.  These wines are also great with cheese. Sparkling wine is a versatile food wine and adds a festive touch.
• To determine the ratio of red to white wine, follow this formula:  60% white wine and 40% red wine.  Champagne, sparkling wine, and rose are considered white wines for these calculations.  For a champagne toast, buy one bottle of bubbly for every eight guests.
• Upsizing to magnum-sized bottles (1.5 liters) is an excellent party-friendly choice.
• Buy by the case.  Do all your wine shopping at one time to benefit from volume discounts as many retailers offer a 10-15% discount when buying a full (or even half) case.  Don't need a full case?  Consider coordinating wine purchases with your friends, family, and neighbors so you call all receive the full benefit.

Tasting Wine 

Tasting wine is as much about seeing and smelling the wine as it is about tasting it. Here are techniques to evaluate a wine’s appearance, scent, flavor, and impression.

The Look

Hold a glass of wine up to a light background in a well-lit room to assess its clarity and depth of color. Wines should be clear and intense in color, not hazy. The color results from the contact between the grape skins and juice during winemaking, and reflects the varietal and the winemaking method.

• White wines can be light green, clear, straw, gold, or brown. Sweet white wines often start off a deeper shade of yellow.
• Red wines may be purple, ruby, brick, or brickish red. As red wines age, they lose color and take on a brownish undertone.
• Blush wines are pink in color.

The Aroma

To fully appreciate the aromatic quality of your wine, swirl the glass to release the bouquet. As wine clings to the inside of the glass, more scents are released. Then smell the wine and identify the first thought that comes to mind.

The Taste

Now for the best part. Sip the wine and hold it in your mouth, allowing it to cover your tongue. Note the texture and feel of the wine. Balanced wines offer harmony in several key areas: aroma, acid, tannin, fruit, and sweetness. Acidity without tartness is key, as is astringency or a slight "pucker" feeling.