Wine Etiquette and Wine Choices
Wine Etiquette is helpful in choosing wine to go with our meal or for our guests. Wine is the most popular drink you have with dinner. There are wines for all taste buds, for connoisseurs and beginners. One’s choices are endless, from dry wines to sweet wines, white wines and red wines, rose, sparkling, champagne, wines from different regions and countries, for all types of occasions and budgets. For those who enjoy an occasional glass of wine at dinner or lunch, becoming a wine expert it not required, having a broad knowledge of wine etiquette will suffice.
[image source_type=”attachment_id” source_value=”697″ align=”right” width=”180″ height=”300″]Wine Etiquette to Store Wine
Wine etiquette teaches us the way to store wine. Wine temperature matters. Different wines need different temperatures. Storing a bottle of wine in a warm, cold, humid or dry and airy temperature will surely affect it and possibly ruin it. Wine can turn sour or go bad it is perishable and needs proper storage. Wine should be stored in a dark room or cellar with no direct light and sun touching it. For bottles stored for long periods of time extra attention must be given in order to preserve the quality of wine. It is better to store a bottle of wine horizontally, than in the upright position, this will stop air from entering the bottle through the cork.
Follow the chart below for proper wine storage temperature (F or C)
| Wine | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
| RED | 57 to 68 | 13 to 20 |
| WHITE | 48 to 58 | 9 to 14 |
| ROSE | 48 to 54 | 9 to 12 |
| SHERRY (Light) | 48 to 58 | 9 to 14 |
| SPARKLING | 42 to 54 | 6 to 10 |
| PORT | 57 to 68 | 13 to 20 |
| SHERRY(Dark) | 57 to 68 | 13 to 20 |
| Type Of Wine | Fhrenheit | Celsius |
| Vintage port | 68 | 19 |
| Bordeaux | 64 | 18 |
| Cabernet | 63 | 17 |
| Red Burgundy | 63 | 17 |
| Pinot Noir | 61 | 16 |
| Zinfandel, Chianti | 59 | 15 |
| Chardonnay | 48 | 9 |
| Champagne | 45 | 7 |
| Riesling | 47 | 8 |
| Ice wine | 43 | 6 |
Wine etiquette and restaurant
When ordering wine at a high end restaurant you can consult with the waiter for the best choice of wine to accompany your meal. Most of these restaurants have a sommelier to advise clients on which wine to choose. Once you decide which bottle you want the waiter will bring the bottle over to your table. The waiter will show the bottle and label for your inspection, to ensure it is the bottle you chose and the right year. If you give your approval he will open the bottle, place the cork on the table next to you for inspection. You will take the cork and inspect it for mold or dryness both signs of poor storage. If the cork looks good, he will pour a little of the wine, you will look, smell and taste the wine. If it to your liking he will serve you and the rest of the guests at the table.
Decanting
Decanting is an important step in order to truly enjoy the wine. Some sommeliers will decant the wine, it is not just for show but to give the wine room to breath and allow the original flavor to emerge. If you bring your own wine to a restaurant, make sure to know if they have a corkage fee, it could be high.
Wine glass is held by the stem and not the bowl of the glass. If you make a toast and you are going to clink your glass with another guest, make sure to cling your wine glass at the bowl and not at the tip. Clinking your wine glass at the tip can spill, be messy and might break the glass.
Choosing the right wine glass:
1 Brandy; 2. Aperitifs, sherry (Spain), port (Portugal), dessert wine, liqueurs, the stem is shorter and bowl elongated, higher alcohol content, shorter stem with round bowl, dessert wine or after dinner wine, stronger sweet wine; 3 U-shape white wine glass; 4 Red wine, Burgundy (France) bowl is wider and rounder; 5 Red wine, Bordeaux (France) red wine bowl is taller and larger than regular red wine glass; 6 sparkling wine or champagne, coupe shape wide bowl; 7 sparkling wine or champagne (France), flute or tulip shape
[image source_type=”attachment_id” source_value=”869″ align=”center” size=”medium”]
“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddha