|
Nearly everyone enjoys a glass of wine. You might prefer a crisp, oaky California Chardonnay, a rich, full-bodied Zinfandel or a zingy, refreshing Portuguese Vinho Verde. Maybe you enjoy trying a wide range of different wines. Whichever tipple is your favorite; here are some tips on wine etiquette:
How to Present a Bottle of Wine
You need to present the bottle with the label towards the person who is going to drink the wine. If it is a chilled, white wine, you need to have a white napkin between your hands and the bottle, so you do not warm it up. This gives information about the name of the wine, the year of the wine and more. The label on the back of the bottle gives more information about what flavors to expect and how the wine was made.
How to Open Wine
Open the wine in the presence of the people who are going to drink it, with as little effort as possible, which means you need to use a corkscrew you are comfortable with using. If the cork breaks in half, you can still get the second half out. If the cork crumbles, you should excuse yourself, take the wine through to another room, and push the rest into the bottle. You can then pour the wine through a fine sieve into a decanter and it should taste fine.
How to Open Champagne
Let us begin with the wrong way to open champagne. Do not shake it. Do not aim the cork at anyone's face or your favorite glass ornament. Do not spray it all over the room or your guests. That is a waste of champagne!
The right way to open a bottle of champagne is to hold it at a 45-degree angle and twist the bottle. Always twist the bottle, never the cork. If you do this, the cork should come out easily.
How to Pour Wine
You should offer the host a sample of the wine first, whilst showing him the front label. If he likes it, you should serve the other guests (ladies first!) and then yourself. Always serve wine from the right hand side, rather than across the table. When pouring, hold the bottle on the base, so the people can see the front label (you might want to practice first!) You can also pour easily if you have one supporting finger under the neck of the bottle. As you finish pouring into each glass, twist the bottle slightly as you lift it, to prevent drips.
How to Pour Champagne
When you pour champagne into a flute, the bubbles will immediately froth up and rise to the rim of the glass. Wait until the bubbles have gone down again, and then continue filling the glass.
How to Drink Wine
For the first toast, lift the glass, greet the guests over the guest, looking each one in the eyes, and take a sip. Again, look at everyone over the glass and then put it down. Your guests (if they are following wine etiquette!) should, at this point, murmur vague compliments about the wine. Obviously, "mmm - very full body" or "delicious wine" is preferable to "hey, that's not bad for 3 dollars!"
If you are a guest who has to drive home, never turn your glass upside down to indicate you do not want wine because this is bad form. Instead, when the host approaches to fill your glass, place your hand lightly over the top and explain that you are driving.
At dinner, the glass should only be refilled if it is almost empty or completely empty. At receptions and other occasions, it is acceptable to keep refilling the glass even if only a sip or two have been taken.
You will impress your guests if you follow the above tips. The wine will taste great regardless, but it is nice to present, serve, and enjoy the wine in the correct way.
In vino veritas!
Author: California Wine Guide Staff Writer
|
