Whether you're looking to impress guests with your incredible wine-serving skills or are simply looking to get more out of your own experience drinking and enjoying wine, learning the proper ways to serve, drink and act with wine is the best place to start.
While there are no rules to drinking wine, you can simply pour it into your favourite glass and enjoy it, you may sometimes be faced with situations whereby acting in a certain way and following proper etiquette is required.
Learning the basics can save you from some sticky situations, whether in your own home or in a more formal public setting.
The first step in proper wine drinking is to know which wine to drink. There are hundreds of varieties of wine and while you may have a favourite, it isn’t always the most suitable.
Choosing a wine which compliments the occasion, meal and setting is essential if you wish to ensure the enjoyment of your guests, as well as yourself.
Spending some time learning about which wines are best suited for which occasions, the type of wine which compliments certain meals and foods and following these guidelines can make for a more enjoyable and satisfactory wine-drinking experience.
If you plan on serving wine to guests, learning the proper way to pour a glass is a great way to have them feel as though they are being treated in the best way possible. This is also an essential step in getting the most out of your wine.
Proper uncorking, decanting and pouring techniques all help to aid the experience and can also improve the taste of your wine. Some wines need aeration in order to unlock their full flavour, others need to be poured a certain way to ensure no spills occur.
There are many different techniques to learn when serving wine and brushing up on a few and keeping them under your belt for when the right occasion arises can be a great skill to have.
Another small but important detail is choosing the right glassware. Different wine is served in different glasses- you wouldn’t serve a merlot in a champagne flute, would you?
Having the appropriate glassware for the wine you are serving helps to enhance the drinking experience and also is a more formal and proper way to serve wine.
It is also important to know how to properly taste wine. Often, before being served wine you will be given the opportunity to taste it to ensure it is to your liking.
Knowing the proper method of tasting wine, first by smelling it, swilling it in the glass to release its aromas, then sipping and allowing the flavours to blossom in your mouth before swallowing, is essential if you wish to fully immerse yourself in the experience.
You may also wish to learn some of the proper wording and vocabulary used to describe the aroma and taste of wine, for those occasions where you will be around others and wish to demonstrate your knowledge.
