Did you know that an average of 75 percent of adults drink wine in the United States of America? While drinking wine is the fun part, it is equally important to know how to serve wine in order to unlock the full potential of the flavor. There are key differences when it comes to how to serve rose wine versus how to serve white wine.
There are also differences that you need to be aware of when you’re learning how to serve red wine in a restaurant compared to serving wine on your home’s patio. This might all seem confusing, but you’re not alone in this. You’ve come to the perfect place to learn more about how to serve wine no matter the type involved or the setting you’re in.
Continue reading to learn more about serving all different types of wine today.
How To Pour Wine
One of the most important aspects of learning how to serve wine is to learn how to pour wine the right way. The first thing that you need to do is to remember to leave the wine glass on the table when you go to pour wine into it. You also need to make sure that you’re holding the wine bottle on the lower half of its body.
Once you’ve used your wine opener to open the bottle you’ll be good to start pouring into the glass. Start by tilting the open bottle of wine down towards the glass and begin with a slower pour. It doesn’t matter if you pour into the side of the glass or the middle of the glass as long as the wine ends up inside of the glass.
Pouring into the side of the glass has benefits because it provides aeration for the wine. This helps with unlocking the full taste of the wine just in case your guest doesn’t swirl their wine. Once you see that you’ve poured around five ounces into the wine glass you’ll tilt the bottle up to stop pouring.
There are things that are different about the pouring process depending on the type of wine that you’re serving. You’ll need to know these differences in order to get the pour just right. Here is a closer look at the different pouring processes for different types of wine.
Pouring Red Wine
The big thing that stands out with pouring red wine is that you should decant a red wine before pouring. This is especially important if the wine you’re enjoying is an older red wine. It is a good idea to invest in a quality decanter as well as these products that will benefit your wine experience.
Pouring White Wine
The process of pouring white wine is different than that of pouring red wine. Odds are that white wine has been iced down or cooled in an ice bucket. If that is the case then you need to expect the bottle to be wet. Before you start pouring you should be sure to wipe the bottle down with a cloth napkin to capture any moisture that is on the outside of the bottle.
Once you wipe down the excess moisture you’re good to proceed with pouring like you would with any other type of wine.
Pouring Sparkling Wine
The big thing to consider when pouring sparkling wine is the risk of the wine bubbling over. This risk doesn’t exist with other types of wine. You’ll also need to think about the type of glass you’re pouring into. If you’re pouring sparkling wine into a flute wine glass then there is significantly more risk to the wine bubbling over.
A good approach to take with pouring sparkling wine is to try to pour more slowly and smoothly. This will decrease the odds of the sparkling wine from bubbling over and out of the wine glass.
How Much Should You Pour?
In a professional setting, you should always aim to pour around five ounces into the wine glass. That is considered the rule of thumb for a standard wine pour in a professional or formal setting. One of the biggest parts of learning how to serve wine is learning how much to pour. When you’ve got that down you’ll be set to start serving wine to your guests as well as your friends.
One reason for the five-ounce pour rule is that it ensures that everyone at the table gets a fair share of the wine. If you’re not sure when to stop pouring, a good trick is to wait until the wine fills to the widest part of the wine glass. This is a hidden measuring point for the five-ounce mark on a wine glass.
Other Factors When Learning How to Serve Wine
There are other important factors to consider when you’re serving wine, like the temperature of the wine. This is especially important if you plan to serve white wine since white wines are more acidic. A warm white wine will taste like a strong mix of alcohol and acid, which isn’t the most pleasant or relaxing to drink.
A good approach to take if you’re planning to serve white wine is to keep the bottle of wine in a refrigerator. Once you’ve opened the bottle you should consider using an ice bucket with ice and cold water in it as a way to keep the wine chilled until you’re done enjoying it.
When it comes to red wines, they’re best served around room temperature or a little colder. This will help you get the best results when learning how to serve red wines.
Start Serving Your Favorite Wines Today
There are a number of things that you need to learn when you’re trying to learn how to serve wine. It doesn’t matter if it is in a professional or formal setting or just a backyard get-together with friends and family. White wine needs to be kept cold and served cold while red wine should be served around room temperature.
You’ll also need to master pouring wine and trying to stop at five ounces. This is especially important with sparkling wine since it has the potential to bubble over.
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