How to enjoy wine

How to serve wine

Like all aspects of enjoying wine, there are many different ways to serve wine (and we′re not talking about with a straw!). To get the best result there are a number of considerations when serving wine.

Wine temperature

Different styles of wine taste better at different temperatures. The exact same white or red, poured straight from the fridge will taste different when served at either room or cellar temperature. By getting the wine temperature right at the time of serving you will get the optimal experience of the subtle aromas and flavours which have been carefully balanced by the winemaker.

For white wines - beware of over chilling. It is best to chill white and sparkling wine in an ice bucket mixed with ice and water for 30 minutes before serving. Avoid leaving white wine in the fridge for too long and do not cool sparkling wines in the freezer (you don′t want sparkling, frozen peas!)

The guideline of serving red wines "at room temperature" stems from our Northern Hemisphere Ancestors and unfortunately doesn′t hold true in the hot Australian Summers. Red Wines should be served between 11-18 degrees Celsius (11-14 degrees for light bodied reds and 14-18 degrees for full bodied reds) and is ok to cool red wines to the correct temperature by placing them in the fridge approximately half an hour before serving.

Opening the wine

The most challenging wine to open (apart from the one where everyone is watching you) is without a doubt the sparkling wine. Make sure a glass is nearby to pour the overflow into, twist the bottle slowly (not the cork) and ensure your hand is over the end of the cork (after all, everyone values their eyes!).

For still wines with a cork, cut the capsule on the ridge just below the top and clean off any residual cork with a cloth. Screw a good corkscrew well into the cork, taken care not to push through to the bottom. Remove the cork slowly and clean inside the neck of the bottle with a cloth to remove any sediment or cork particles.

As for screw tops, it′s a cinch. Just hold the top and turn the bottle. Perfect for those out and about occasions!

Wine decanting

It is not necessary to decanter every wine you drink however for red wines that have been cellared it is a good idea. Decanting loosens up, warms up and opens up a red wine. It also is a great way to get rid of the sediment. During decanting, wine absorbs oxygen which acts as a stimulant and assists in bringing out the aroma, flavour and character of the wine.

Serving wine in the right glassware

Glassware cannot change the wine itself but it certainly can impact on your enjoyment of and perception of the wine. Wine can ultimately be consumed from any glass but the ideal glassware enables you to; see the wine (is clear in nature), make seamless contact with the wine (is not too thick) and have a stem that enables you to hold the wine comfortably without affecting the temperature of the wine.

The Wine Society values its partnership with Riedel - The Wine Glass Company who have an outstanding range of glassware to suit all wine styles and occasions.