In the United States, wine drinking continues to increase and with it, misconceptions. The reality is there are many misinterpretations about wine that might interfere with the way you enjoy it. So, whether they affect your buying habits or cause you to serve wine inappropriately, we feel the need to make it right! The following tips may help you take pleasure in the wine you are drinking.
Mistake #1 temperature
Wine lovers can get pretty worked up when it comes to wine temperature. They are right. If wine is too cold, it can get savorless and bland. Still, you don't want to serve your wine too warm, especially if you are serving white wine because the flavor of the alcohol will be too obvious. Usually, wines have a specific temperature, but the general process is to serve red wines closer to room temperature while serving sweet whites at 39 degrees.
Mistake #2 storage
A common mistake for many is storing your wine at the wrong temperature. If you don't plan to drink your wine anytime soon, ensure it is stored in a cellar. Storing wine in an attic will cause the wine to get hot. It is best to store your wine around 55 degrees in spite of the style. If you plan to serve a chilled wine, don't chill it until you are ready to open the bottle. It is also important not to chill and warm and chill again over and over. If you put a bottle in the refrigerator let it stay there until you are ready to open it. On the other hand, if you already opened the bottle you want to make sure to store it chilled, even if its red wine. Why? Wine has a short shelf life after being exposed to air.
Mistake #3 Exposure
Did you know there is science behind leaving a bottle opened before pouring yourself a glass? Wine is bottled to keep it from becoming tainted which shows that it's separated from oxygen. Yet oxygen begins the process that will eventually cause it to spoil. It is necessary to give your wine the flavor it's suppose to have. This is true of red wines because the tannic acid in red wines soften over time, but tend to soften much faster when exposed to oxygen. Quite often, conservation in wine can overpower the other softer flavorings. Young wines with strong conservation will have a better taste for after two hours of oxygen exposure. If it is an older wine, more than likely it will only need 30 minutes to get the best flavor out of your wine.
Mistake #4 Taste
We understand that after long days work a good glass of wine is the only thing you need to relax. Nevertheless, the wine was not made to be gulped. Your nose is important to taste your wine, so it's important to take your time and let your nose appreciate the aromas. Next time, take some time to swirl your wine in the glass to allow more contact with oxygen, allowing it to release its delightful aroma.
Mistake #5 Combining
Pairing off food is an art that could take years to master. Fortunately, there are some simple rules that can get you well on your way to be an amateur sommelier. There are two ways you can go to make things simple. You can either match similar flavors or pair wine with an opposing flavor. If you like complementing flavors, sweet goes with sweet and smooth go with smooth. There are others who prefer to diverge wines with what they are eating. For instance, sweet wines pair well with spicy dishes. This will accentuate both flavors. There are also times when acidic wine makes a good combination with a heavy dish. This helps cut through the immensity of the dish. Nonetheless there some precautions you should know. As a general rule, a heavy wine with a light dish is not a good combination; the wine would overpower the flavor of the food and give it a dull taste.