This section looks at all you need to know for serving wine at home. To appreciate wine properly it’s best to observe some simple but very effective rules regarding the correct serving conditions for a wine. Red wines and white wines require different serving temperatures and some wines such as sparkling wines are best drunk out of different shaped glasses to those which we would drink red or white wine. We will also look at what sorts of basic equipment you need to get the wine out of the bottle and to appreciate a wine to its full potential as well as handy hints on keeping wine fresh once you have opened it.

Opening The Bottle

Cork is a unique product due to its micro-cellular structure which contains millions of tiny cells with each one separated by a strong membrane wall. The effects of this cellular structure render the cork to be light, inert and impermeable to gases and most liquids, making it an ideal stopper to keep wine protected in a bottle. However, extensive research has shown that cork is responsible for some fairly unacceptable spoilage rates of wine. The main problem seems to be the fact that whilst the wine industry has considerably improved its methods and technology over the past ten to fifteen years the cork industry has been slow to follow suit. Some now view cork as a less than ideal solution for keeping wine in a bottle free from the damaging effects of germs and oxygen.

In spite of the evidence against the use of corks the wine trade persists in continuing with their use leaving many wines prone to leakage or infection from the cork itself when a simple screw-cap like that found on the top of a Coca-Cola Bottle would be the perfect solution. So why the cork and not the screw cap? Well, it seems that we wine drinkers prefer the cork and all the pomp and ceremony that is involved with removing one from a bottle, to the ease of simply twisting the top off. It would seem that if we have to struggle to get inside the bottle there must be something inside that’s worth struggling for. So, faced with the option of ease and simplicity we instead choose to risk broken corks, damaged wines, temper tantrums and ruined carpets!!

So what equipment do I need?

The answer to this question depends upon how seriously you take your pursuit of wine appreciation and enjoyment.

If you just like to enjoy the cheapest wine in the shop regardless of its origin, style, quality or value, whilst paying great attention to its high alcohol content and low price, then any sort of drinking vessel should suffice if you actually choose to use one at all 

However, if your wine drinking is more than just a pursuit of inebriation then you may wish to invest in a couple of small and relatively cheap tools of the trade.

Corkscrews  

Despite there being hundreds of corkscrew designs available there are only a few that actually work properly and there is not one corkscrew which is yet to prove infallible.

The problem of finding a decent all-purpose corkscrew is compounded by the fact that there are loads of different types, sizes and shapes of corks. Even before you get to the cork there is still the foil or seal on top of the bottle that requires opening. On the new type of bottles with the plastic seal at the top and no foil a good corkscrew will screw straight through the seal and release itself with the cork. With a foil top it’s best to either use a knife to cut upwards into the neck part of the foil and then lift it off or alternatively, some specialist foil cutters that hook round the neck and slice the foil off are widely available at less than five pounds.

Whatever type of corkscrew you choose to use there are some that should be avoided at all costs. Any that use a needle and air-injection are completely damaging to the wine and not particularly efficient at their task as is the Butlers Thief, a two pronged device which slips down the outside of the cork but is notoriously difficult to use and requires practice and patience in great abundance.

Finding the right kind of corkscrew will be based upon your own preferences and budget. If you should find one that you think is particularly good then let us know here at The Grape Escape and we will be happy to pass on the recommendation.

Glasses  

Wine glasses come in hundreds of shapes, sizes, colours and prices. There are even glasses designed for individual types and styles of wine such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Unfortunately, there are few of us who could possibly afford to purchase a set of glasses for each style of wine that we are likely to drink. The good news is that there are plenty of glass designs that are ideal for most wines. However, it is perhaps best to have a minimum of two kinds; one for sparkling wines and one for still wines. If you want to take your wine appreciation seriously it’s perhaps best not to buy coloured glasses as this would make judging a wines condition and colour all the more difficult.

Instead opt for clear, uncut glasses with a fairly long stem. The long stem will prevent your hands touching the bowl; this affects the temperature of the wine as well as placing dirty fingerprints on the glass causing the wine to appear cloudy. Remember also to purchase glasses that will withstand the rigours of being washed by hand or the dishwasher. Some crystal glasses just need the slightest touch to shatter, so be careful when choosing.  

For a good choice try Ikea, Debenhams and Habitat who all stock wide ranges at affordable prices.

One thing that is of paramount importance is that your glasses are kept clean. If you leave them in a cupboard make sure that you rinse them clean of dust prior to use. When you wash your glasses make sure that you use a good dishwashing detergent and  you rinse the glasses clean of any soap residue remaining.

Have a good sniff inside the glass and check for any off-odours prior to pouring, as any off smells will only detract from the quality of your wine. 

What Temperature Should I Serve My Wine  

A crisp dry Sauvignon Blanc from Chile is much better served chilled than warm. And a red Spanish Rioja Reserva is not going to appeal to the senses if kept in the fridge prior to opening; when what it really needed was opening into a jug and left at room temperature for half an hour to breathe. Wine drinkers and enthusiasts often debate about the merits of allowing wine to breathe with some believing it to be essential whilst others consider it a pointless exercise. There are exceptions to every rule but we like to advise people to open all wines except, sparkling ,prior to drinking. Of course, time and the occasion often mean that we don’t have the time to open the wine beforehand. Don’t worry because swirling the wine around in your glass serves the same purpose as allowing it to breathe. The various temperatures for serving different wines are listed below and are to be used as a guide along with your own personal preferences.

For big, deep coloured, tannic reds with a relatively high alcohol content such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz and Zinfandel serve at the fairly warm temperature of about 14-18 degrees centigrade.

For medium bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, Merlot and Sangiovese serve at the lower end of the scale for big tannic reds.

Lighter reds such as Beaujolais can be served at about 10-12 degrees centigrade or even slightly chilled to add a refreshing touch.

Complex, big and heavily oaked white wines can be served warmer than most other white wines at about 12-15 degrees centigrade.

Lighter styles of white wine particularly those with crisp acidity need to be chilled to between 6-10 degrees centigrade. Here in the UK most domestic fridges are at 2-5 degrees centigrade so leaving a wine in there for too long could lead to your wine being too cold.

Sparkling and Rose wines should also be served at between 6-10 degrees centigrade.

Of course it is impossible to expect everyone to pull out a thermometer and accurately test a wine’s temperature prior to serving. Should you not want to do so then the best bet is to throw whites, rose’ and sparklers in the fridge for half an hour and open a red up into a jug for half an hour and leave it to stand in the open.

Should I Decant My Wines?  

Decanting is the name given to the technique of slowly removing a wine from its sediment. However, only a few wines are likely to ever give off a sediment. These will usually be red wines which are older and have been allowed to develop a sediment through the ageing process. The sediment found in the bottle is generally made up of Tannins, Tartrates and Anthocyans all of which are completely harmless. To find sediment in the bottom of your bottle is not the indication of any inherent fault in the wine but merely the sign of a wine made by a winemaker who favoured potential and quality over cosmetic appeal!

In order to remove the sediment correctly you must first ensure that the sediment lies on the bottom of the bottle. To make sure this is done properly leave your bottle standing up-right for 24 hours; this will allow the sediment to fall gently to the bottom and settle.

The secret to decanting is to take it slowly. Hold the bottle in one hand and the decanter in the other and be sure to pour at a steady rate, not stopping and starting. To check when the sediment is approaching it is ideal to place a light source (a candle will do) underneath the bottleneck as this will help to illuminate any sediment as it nears the top. At worst you should lose about a quarter of a glass of wine but most of the time it should be much less.

Decanting wine from its bottle also allows a wine to breathe by exposing it to the air and vapourising the volatile aromas contained within. We suggest that even young wines without a sediment can also benefit from decanting as it allows oxygen to break down any harsh elements and can help to release any suppressed aromas and flavours.

Keeping Wine Fresh Once Its Opened  

Not all of us are able to drink a bottle a night and some find it hard going to share a bottle between two. Usually we just leave the remains to be poured away or if it’s lucky it ends up in the cooking pot as part of some sauce. However, there really is no need to get rid of a perfectly good wine. There are a number of ways to keep wine fresh once it has been opened. The best and most simple method is to place the wine in the fridge. Keeping wine in a fridge can help retain its freshness for at least a fortnight without particular detriment to its flavour. Simply place the cork back into the bottle and leave it in the fridge. If it’s a red wine then take it back out of the fridge about an hour prior to drinking and if it’s white or rose about half an hour will suffice. Pouring the wine into a smaller bottle can help further by excluding any excess air which may cause further damage.

There are of course various gadgets on the market that claim to preserve wine sufficiently. One of the best known is the Vacuum pump which creates a vacuum in the wine bottle by drawing out all the air. The other most common method is containers of inert gas (usually CO2 and Nitrogen mixed together). The purpose of these is to form a blanket over the wine that prevents any oxygen from reaching it. However when a wine is first opened it starts to deteriorate immediately due to the destructive action of oxygen reacting with the wine. Unless the Vacu-Vin or Inert gas is applied immediately after opening considerable oxidation and subsequent damage will already have taken place. As mentioned previously some reaction with oxygen is often encouraged to help soften a wine but too much can destroy the essential flavours and leave it devoid of character and fruit.

So the best advice is to simply place the cork back in the bottle and keep it in your scientifically controlled personal wine saving environment (The Fridge!).

Serving wine at home should be an occasion free of formal pomp and ceremony. But, by purchasing a little low-cost equipment and performing some simple preparation techniques the wine experience can be greatly improved. So the next time there is nothing on the television why not pour yourself a large glass of your favourite wine that’s been sat in the fridge for the past fortnight and then sit and wait whilst it reaches perfection.