Serve your wine at the proper temperature
Red wines should be served slightly below room temperature (most red wines taste best between 15 to 18 degree Celsius), whereas white wines are much better when chilled (between 8 to 13 degree Celsius).
Use the right wine glass
When drinking white wine, choose glasses that have narrower bowls with a tapered top. This will allow for greater aromatic concentration, making the intensity of the smells and flavours of your wine last longer.
Red wine needs to oxidize in order for its flavour to fully develop, which is why red wine glasses are typically larger. Because of their bowl shape, red wine glasses allow more of the wine to come into contact with the air. As the red wine breathes, the character of the wine becomes richer and more pronounced.
Experience the aroma
Swirl the wine in your glass to expose it to a larger surface area. This increases wine’s contact with air and intensifies its aroma. Swirl your wine by holding the glass by the base or by the stem. Smell your wine as you swirl it to take in the aromas. Common aromas include different fruits, spices, herbs, and flowers.
Be sure to smell the wine several times, swirling before each smell. A complex wine will offer multiples scents, and taking in each scent will intensify the wines flavour.
The overall taste of a wine is a combination of smells and flavours, so it’s important that you don’t skip the smelling stage.
Taste the wine
Taste your wine in small sips. Roll the wine across your taste buds by lightly swishing it around your mouth. Hold the wine in your mouth for 5-10 seconds before swallowing to really absorb the flavour. After swallowing, notice the aftertaste, or finish. High quality wines tend to have a more defined the finish. A good finish will linger on your palate for quite some time.
Sip your wine
Wine is best when sipped and savoured, as opposed to being gulped down. Take a small-to-medium sized sips of wine, and hold the wine in the center of your tongue before swallowing. This will allow you to taste the complex flavours of the wine.
- Red wine is typically rich in flavour and is much better when sipped and savoured. It can be served with dinner or dessert, or be sipped on its own. Drink your wine slowly so that you can truly appreciate its flavour. Swirl your wine before taking every sip, this will allow your wine to oxidize even more.
- White wine can be sipped on its own, but also goes well with a variety of meals and desserts. White wines tend to be more refreshing than reds, so they balance out rich flavours nicely. Take one small sip of wine at a time, and let the flavour of the wine settle on your taste buds before swallowing.
