Wine Etiquette
Whether you're dining with royalty or having wine with Pizza, some basic
wine etiquette will set you apart from the common crowd. Knowing how to pour, what
temperature to serve at and how to hold the glass are simple rules and can make wine drinking
more fun!
Knowing what temperature to serve at is not only good wine etiquette, it also helps enhance
the taste of the beverage. While there are variations for different types of wine within each category,
a basic rule of thumb is that rose and white wine are best served between 48 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit
while red is best at 57 to 68 degrees.
We've all heard that wine must "breath" so, therefore, another subject of wine etiquette is when to
uncork. Red wines should be uncorked about an hour before serving. White, on the other hand, only
diminishes in flavor the more it is exposed so you can leave the cork in until you are ready to serve.
Along these same lines, you'll want to decide whether to put the wine in a decanter (or decant) as
they say. Certain red wines and ports collect sediment at the bottom during the aging process so slowly
pouring them into a decanter can separate that out. Also exposing the wine to air which adds to the taste of
red wines.
One of the most daunting aspects of wine etiquette is about the glass. What kind of glass do you use?
How do you pour the wine into the glass? How do you hold the glass? Haven't you wondered all these things?
Wine etiquette for the kind of glass you use depends on the wine you are serving.
A red wine requires a rounded bulbous glass to allow oxygen to mix in, let the wine breathe and release
the aroma. A white wine does not require such a thing and thus the glass used is smaller and thinner,
but not as thin as a champagne flute.
Figuring out how to pour the wine is pretty simple - if is bubbly then our it slowly down the side
to prevent over fizz and keep a nice row of bubbles at the top. If it is not, then just pour it into the
middle of the glass.
And finally, wine etiquette for holding the glass is easy to remember.
Always hold it by the stem. Holding it by the bowl will not only mar the beautiful glass with
fingerprints but it will also warm up the wine!
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