It is very good to invest in an elegant bottle of wine to impress your closest and dearest, but the element of resistance is the way you present it.
According to a top sommelier, the way you pour your wine can actually enrich its taste, as well as add a note of class to the overall experience.
In addition, the style of the glass in which you serve white or red can also have an impact on its appreciation, as certain varieties are more suitable for certain shapes.
The festive season is the perfect time to master the ability to pour wine – and drinking it (in moderation) could help you get over it!
Here Lukasz Kolodziejczyk, head of fine wine at Cult Wines, shares his top tips for serving the best bottle of wine.
According to a top sommelier, the way you pour your wine can actually enrich its taste, as well as add a note of class to the overall experience. Stock image
START BY DECANTATION
Decanting should ideally take place before you even think about pouring a glass.
The settling act has two functions. First, to stop natural sediments from reaching your glass, and second, to help the wine aerate and “open” before drinking.
Naturally, the process also serves an aesthetic purpose, as an elegant crystal decanter makes an excellent centerpiece of the table.
There are many different shapes and styles of decanters available, but sometimes we need to remember the main reason you would decant a bottle of wine.
The wine must breathe, some more than others, but ideally we would like to give as much surface as possible to let the decanter do its job.
Wider decanters such as Riedel Decanter Ultra, on the left, are good for full-bodied red and white wines, while a narrower one like Zalto Carafe 75ml, right, is best suited for white wines that do not require as much space for to awaken the characteristics
The wider the base of the decanter, the better – especially for red and white wines with fuller skin. The increased surface you provide will improve aeration and reveal the best wines, its aromas and aromas will develop during decantation.
Younger and more tannic wines generally require a longer opening – some may benefit from decanting a few hours before drinking. Older and more mature wines usually require a shorter time to reach their full potential.
A narrower decanter is more suitable for white wines that do not need so much space to awaken the characteristics when transferred from the glass.
CHOOSE GOOD BOTTLE
It’s your house and your rules, so you can serve your wine any way you want. However, wine experts largely agree that the right style of wine glass, combined with the right wine, will make the difference in your tasting experience.
There are dozens of glass styles to choose from for the seasoned wine drinker, which can add a requirement for plenty of closet space.
Fortunately, there are many attractive “universal” glass options on the market, as well as those designed for specific varieties.
Bordeaux / Merlot / Cabernet
Red wines such as Merlot, Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon benefit from a tall glass of wine with a large bowl that spins slightly towards its opening
The glasses for these wines are usually the tallest you’ll find, with a large bowl that shrinks so easily toward opening.
This allows you to really get your nose in the glass for a good smell and for the ethanol to evaporate easily, helping the taste of the wine to be finer and revealing fruit aromas.
Syrah / Shiraz / Malbec / Sangiovese
Tomatoes, including Syrah, Shiraz, Malbec and Sangiovese, are best served in a smaller glass with a smaller opening to help soften the wine.
These wines often have more tannic, spicy aromas, so their corresponding glass has a slightly smaller bowl with a smaller opening.
This helps soften the wine as it reaches your palette more slowly. Meanwhile, a higher degree of taper helps to capture the flavors, so you can enjoy the aromas of the wine to the fullest.
Burgundy / Pinot Noir
A juicy red or Pinot Noir red wine is best suited for a glass with a large bowl to allow more oxygen to come in contact with the wine
The glasses for these wines are usually the widest and shortest styles.
A large bowl allows a greater amount of oxygen to come into contact with the wine, while the smaller opening and high degree of taper helps to collect the bold aromas of the wine and direct its intense aromas to the right side of the tongue.
Sauvignon Blanc / Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling can be served in the same style and shape of glass – usually with a medium to long stem and a narrow bowl with a slight taper
White wine glasses are usually smaller in height and bowl size than red wine glasses. Because its aromas are much lighter, this allows the wine to get closer to your nose.
Despite their different characteristics, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling can be served in the same style and shape of glass – usually with a medium to long stem and a narrow bowl with a slight taper.
For Sauvignon Blanc, this helps to minimize the oxygen level in the glass, making it easier to detect the aromas of the wine.
Meanwhile, for Riesling, this helps to concentrate the flavors in the upper half of the bowl.
Chardonnay
Glasses with a large bowl that allows a large area are ideal for full-bodied, aged white oaks such as Chardonnay
The glasses designed for Chardonnay are almost the complete opposite of those designed for Sauvignon Blanc.
These glasses have a large bowl, just like the one found in a glass for Burgundy or Pinot Noir, although they are still smaller in general.
The large bowl allows a large surface, ideal for whites with a rich body, aged oak.
LEARN THE LABEL
In general, it doesn’t really matter who is served first or how, but if you want to do things “by the book”, the etiquette requires that women be served first and that the glasses are always filled on the right side of the guest.
Winemakers are also extremely proud of their creations, and the label of a bottle is a representation of that pride.
Avoid removing the entire capsule from the foil from the top of the bottle – instead, carefully cut it just below the rim of the bottle so that the wine does not pass over the foil and on the label.
GARAGE THE RIGHT AMOUNT
Now it’s time to pour the wine! Open the bottle cleanly and quietly (if you are not decanting) and, leaving the glass on the table, hold the bottle towards its bottom (never by the neck) and gently pour the wine into the glass.
The exact places in the glass don’t matter too much, as long as you avoid splashing.
Champagne poured with the glass tilted, like beer, retains more gas – that is, fewer bubbles that foam at the top of the glass. Stock image
Be especially careful if it is a sparkling wine – pour a small amount into the flute, let the bubbles settle and then finish pouring until the glass is full of three quarters.
For red and white wines, the usual measure is about 125 ml for a smaller portion or 175 ml for a medium-sized portion.
This is quite difficult to do in sight, so usually the best bet is to fill up to the widest part of the glass or at least a few inches from the rim.
This gives the wine the best opportunity to breathe.
AVOID SHORT DRIVING
No one likes a careless shredder, and even if you follow the above tips in the letter, your efforts could be easily thwarted by a wandering dribble at the end.
After you have finished casting, just before pulling the bottle, give it a quick quarter turn with your wrist and then tilt it upright.
You may also keep a crisp white cloth nearby to wipe the mouth of the bottle, just in case.
For more information visit https://www.wineinvestment.com/