Open the bottle, pour the wine, take a sip – drinking wine is easy. But really enjoying wine? Even without any background knowledge? That’s easy, too! You don’t need to be a wine expert or have shelves full of special wine glasses. These ten simple steps will turn your next glass of wine into a consciously pleasurable experience.
Wines have a wide variety of tastes.
Does crisp white wine with notes of apple and citrus appeal to you, or do you prefer red fruits and earthy aromas in a full-bodied red wine? Would you rather drink light, sparkling wines or rich, intense wines? Every wine offers an individual taste experience, and even wines from the same type of grape can taste different depending on the region and cultivation conditions.
The right temperature
Make sure your wine is served at the appropriate temperature. Red wines should be served only slightly chilled at around 60–64 °F (16–18 °C), while white wines and rosé wines taste best at around 46–54 °F (8–12 °C). Sparkling wine can be enjoyed somewhat colder, between 39 and 46 °F (4–8 °C). The wrong drinking temperature alters a wine’s flavors: a too-warm red wine can taste overloaded and alcoholic, while a too-cold white wine develops hardly any aromas. The right temperature balances a wine’s flavors. You can usually find the recommended drinking temperature on the bottle’s label.
The right glass
A glass suitable for red wine has a large, rotund form that makes it possible to swirl the wine and release its aromas. A white wine glass should be narrower at the top so that none of the wine’s aromas are lost. Make sure the glass has a thin rim as well: thick wine glasses interfere with mouthfeel and thus distort the aromas of the wine. A so-called universal glass is also ideal for starting out.
The universal glass
One glass for all types of wine? Yes, it’s possible. So-called universal wine glasses are even used at wine fairs and professional tastings. They combine all the characteristics of a good wine glass: thin, high-quality glass, a rotund form, and a long stem for holding. You should really use the stem, too: the temperature of your hands can otherwise warm the wine and alter its aromas.
Red wines need to breathe, white wines don’t
A red wine should breathe before being enjoyed so that its full flavor can unfold. The oxygen ensures that the aromas combine more fully. If you like, you can let the wine breathe by pouring it into a decanter – or simply open the bottle and let it stand for 30 minutes before enjoying. White wines, on the other hand, can be savored directly after being opened.
Pour the wine correctly
Don’t fill the wine glass too full so that there is enough room for the wine to be swirled. This way, the flavors can unfold better and you can smell and taste the wine more intensely.
Observe the wine
You can’t know if you’ll like the taste of a wine just by looking at it, of course. However, you should still take time for this step: the clarity and color of the wine offer clues to its age and grape variety. Young wines, for instance, are much lighter than mature ones. A pale color indicates that the grapes were grown in a cool climate, while an intense depth of color points to warm growing conditions.
Swirl the wine
Gently swirl the wine in your glass to better release its aromas. As you do so, make sure you hold the glass by the stem so as not to warm the wine unnecessarily or leave fingerprints on the glass.
Why swirl a glass of wine?
A wine tasting without enthusiastic swirling? Unthinkable. It’s not just for show, however: swirling the wine allows it to truly unfold its potential. Through swirling, the wine tastes even better. There are several reasons for this:
Add oxygen: Swirling mixes oxygen into the wine, opening up aromas and taste nuances even more. Experts refer to this as “aeration.”
Release aromas: The aromas released are distributed more evenly in the glass, and you can better appreciate them when you smell the wine in the glass.
Appraise the “tears of wine”: the streaks of liquid that form and slowly run down the inside of the glass during swirling are referred to as “tears of wine.” They offer clues to the wine’s alcohol content and body – the more pronounced the “tears,” the higher the alcohol and sugar content.
Smell the wine
Hold your nose over the glass and breathe in deeply to take in the various aromas of the wine. Try to identify the complex aromas of fruit, flowers, or spices contained in the wine. This prepares your palate for the wine and enables you to taste the various flavors more fully.
Taste the wine
Don’t rush: take a small sip of wine and hold it in your mouth for several seconds before swallowing. Pay attention to the various flavors like sweet, sour, salty, and bitter that the wine leaves on your tongue and throughout your mouth. Can you taste the notes of fruit, the spicy aromas, the hint of oak?
Enjoy wine in good company
A good bottle of wine tastes even better when shared in a social setting: you can talk shop about the wine with your family or friends and exchange your impressions. It’s also worth paying a visit to a winery: many winemakers host small wine festivals or tastings at which you can enjoy not only superb wines, but good conversation as well. Or, visit our excellent restaurants with friends and let our local wine experts advise you.
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