Drinking Wines

Correct wine etiquette makes the tasting experience much more enjoyable. Like most interests, there is a set of protocol that most wine lovers adhere to. Good taste dictates that tasting at wineries, ordering wine at restaurants, and hosting a dinner party all require certain formalities.

Tasting Room Etiquette

In a winery’s tasting room, white wines are generally tasted first, followed by reds, and then dessert wines. Within these categories, lighter-bodied wines preceed fuller-bodied ones. Water and crackers may be offered to cleanse the palate between each wine. Correct wine etiquette does not dictate that you must finish every glass. Winery tasting rooms provide jars to dispose of excess wine. Do not feel that you need to sample every wine offered- taste what appeals to you.

If you ask for a second tasting of a particular wine, it is in good taste to buy a bottle. Many wineries charge tasting fees which are generally applied to any purchase. It is not mandatory that you buy wine; purchase only what you desire. That being said, if you have made an appointment at a small winery, it is in good taste to make a purchase. Proper wine etiquette dictates that you not bring children to a tasting room.

General Restaurant Wine Etiquette

Wine service at a nice restaurant can be an unneccessarily difficult ordeal. The following tips will allow you to follow the customs of wine service with ease and confidence.

When choosing a wine from a restaurant’s wine list, the main goal is to accomplish a suitable pairing with the entrees of your party. If the food orders are too different to generalize with one wine, consider purchasing splits or ordering by the glass. Waiters and sommeliers are there to answer your questions, but availing yourself to their services and advice will be much more beneficial if your questions are relatively specific.

For example, don’t ask the sommelier, What goes well with a rack of lamb? Rather, ask, I’d like to balance the spiciness of the lamb with a full-bodied, Syrah-based Rhone. Do you have any favorites? Your effort will be appreciated and service and interaction will be more seamless. I guarentee you will be more pleased with the outcome.

After ordering, the waiter/sommelier will retrieve your selection, and then present it, label forward, to the host of the party. This is merely to verify it is the correct wine. The cork is removed and placed on the table. Unless it is clearly tainted, (the waiter/sommelier should notice if it is) do not touch or smell it, as it means nothing.

A small amount will then be poured for the host. Swirl the wine in the glass, smell, then taste. This is to make sure the wine is not spoiled and is not an opportunity to send back a sound wine that you are not crazy about. After approval, the wine will be poured clockwise to the right, ladies first. The host’s glass will be topped last.

Corkage Etiquette

It is increasingly customary in many parts of the country for restaurants to extend corkage policies for patrons whom wish to bring their own wine. However, this is not the case everywhere, (especially on the East Coast), and proper wine etiquette dictates that several things should be kept in mind.

Always call the restaurant in advance to verify that corkage is allowed. Also ask what the fee is to avoid any surprises. In my experience, very few restaurants charge over $20 as a corkage fee. Some restaurants will waive this fee if an additional bottle is purchased from the wine list, but do not assume that this is always the case.

Wine brought to a restaurant should be relatively unique or rare, and definitely should not appear on the restaurant’s wine list. After the waiter/sommelier opens and pours the contents, proper wine etiquette dictates that you offer them a taste. Following these guidelines will ensure that both you and the restaurant staff are happy.

The Duty of the Host at Dinner Parties

The duty of the host toward his/her guests is one of the most ancient and enduring forms of etiquette in human civilization. When serving wine, making sure that your guests are comfortable with the process should be your paramount concern.

Before serving, always allow wine time to breathe at room temperature. Never pour wine for guests immediately after opening. It is the host’s responsibility to discreetly ensure that the wine is sound and unspoiled. This should be done away from company, and a small amount should be sampled.

Always serve wine to your guests in clean, spotless glasses. This may seem obvious, but it is a very mistake. Additionally, if more than one wine is served, make sure that they are poured in a logical progression.

Especially with older wines, be aware that there may be a significant amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Keep this in mind when deciding the portion given to each guest. Avoid the embarrassing instance of the last person receiving an unacceptable amount of solids in their glass. If this is a concern with a particular bottle, refrain from pouring the last half glass.

It may be necessary or beneficial to decant a wine to either remove sediment or to expose it to oxygen. Be cautious with this practice, as older wines may quickly fade if left in a decanter for too long.

Wine enjoyment should be an enjoyable and unintimidating process. With these tips in mind, you are prepared for the majority of social situations that involve wine.

Benjamin Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the webmaster of http://www.california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com

The Proper service of wine starts as soon as you bring it home. How you handle it, store it, open, and pour it is all part of service protocol. Wine is only a result of a long and delicate journey that can take many years to perfect. So the next time your swinging and swaying your bottle of wine around like some toy, consider its journey, carry it carefully and of course give it a comfortable place to rest.

Storage

Wine should be stored on its? side in a cool place ideally at 55 degrees F. Storing wine in a place at a higher temperature will cause the wine to age at an increased rate.

Service Temperature

The temperature for which wine should be served at is also down to a science as certain characteristics can only be detected at certain temperatures. It is all too common to have white wine served at a temperature that is far too cool. Over chilling wine causes the wine to be ?tight? or too cold to properly experience it so do yourself a favor and follow these general guidelines and try to experience each wine the way it was meant to be experienced!

Wine Varietals - Ideal Service Temperature

Sparkling, Champagne - 45 degrees F/ 7 degrees C
Lighter bodied whites; Riesling, gew?rztraminer, sauv.blanc - 45 ? 50 F/ 7 ? 10 C
Med, full bodied whites; Viognier, Semillon, Chardonnay - 48 ? 50 F / 8 ? 10 C
Lighter reds; Gamay, sangiovese, pinot noir - 55 ? 60 F / 13 ? 16 C
Med, full reds; merlot, Bordeaux blends, cabernet Sauvignon - 60 ? 65 F / 15 ? 18 C

The Opening

I suppose it might be hard to taste if you can?t open the bottle! It?s easy, but first you need the proper utensil. Don?t be fooled with all of these wine opening contraptions today that try to simplify an already simple procedure. Purchase what is called a 2-stage corkscrew; an indispensable tool for all waiters. Simply remove the foil on the bottle by using the knife of your corkscrew. Cut around the bottom of the lip of the bottle for clean and easy removal of the foil. Aim the point of the screw at the center of the cork and press down and start turning. Continue turning until only the last half of the final twist remains visible. At this point hook the 1st stage of the tool onto the lip of the bottle and use the handle as a lever to slowly lift the cork from the bottle. Once the handle is almost vertically extended, use the 2nd stage of the tool to fully remove the cork.

?Bruising?- Yanking the cork out of the bottle creates that all familiar POP! If proper etiquette is important to you, this ?POP? is actually an undesirable resonance referred to as bruising the wine. In order to prevent this from occurring, gently lift the cork out of the bottle while bending the cork to the side. This allows the air to escape up the side of the bottle neck helping to reduce the possibility of a POP!

If you happen to break the cork, do not panic! It happens easily, especially with older wines. Merely remove the broken portion of the cork from your corkscrew and start again. Except this time place the screw up against the inside of the bottle neck and insert the screw pushing against the side of the bottle and slowly into the broken cork. Hold the neck of the bottle firmly and when the corkscrew has penetrated the cork by a few turns, slowly pull the cork out!

Glassware

There are a million options available when considering glassware for wine, however in order for wine to truly shine; clear glass or crystal is the only way to go. It is important to see the wine you are about to enjoy, so don?t disguise it with a colored material.

The leading glassware manufacturers today have gotten this subject down to a science, successfully creating palate specific glassware to encourage the optimal tasting experience. Each wine varietal is best experienced when taken from a glass which allows the wine to breathe properly. Although swirling and decanting also aid in aeration, the glass used can also contribute to proper aeration as well. Reidel is the leader in this industry creating fabulously sexy glassware with only varietals in mind. This company creates a different glass for almost every libation!

The necessary glassware required for any home is a simple white wine glass which typically has a smaller circumference than a red wine glass which is quite a bit larger. A set of champagne flutes is highly recommended as well.

Your red or white glassware should accommodate approximately 10 ? 12oz. of wine, however a wine glass should never be filled higher than half way. The idea is to allow enough room for the wine to move when swirling. Your wine will not breathe well if the glass is filled higher than half way.

In summary, wine is a delicate substance that should always be treated with great care. Storing it carefully and showing it off in great glassware is really all that wine asks for!

Jennie Wills has been a hospitality expert for 10 years whose passion for home renovation, food and drink has lead to the successful launch of http://www.thesexykitchen.com; a web-site dedicated to kitchen design, renovation, party planning, hospitality and much more. Perhaps you have a passion or hobby you?d like to write about. Discover how to turn your passion into a successful website, visit http://www.succeed-from-your-passion.com to learn how.