Statistics show that millions of Americans drink wine on just a few days each year, and Thanksgiving is a big day for these very occasional imbibers. Over the longer term, I’d certainly like to see you enjoy wine much more frequently, but for now we need to get you through today with a positive experience. Here are a few pointers that may help:
–If your wine glasses have been sitting in a cupboard for a month,
they’ve surely picked up a little dust even if they don’t look dusty, and some of these particles can produce undesirable aromas or flavors. Be sure to rinse them out with hot water and dry them with a lint-free dish towel.
–If you’ll be serving sparkling wine or Champagne, these glasses 
need to be washed differently. As beer lovers know, soap residue kills bubbles, and whereas a flat beer is a disappointment, a flat glass of Champagne is a catastrophe. My mantra is: No soap, ever! You can remove fingerprints and lipstick from the outside of glasses when perfectly inverted with a lightly soapy sponge, but never let any soap into the interior, which should only be rinsed with very hot water. Dish towels can retain soap residues, so air-dry sparkling glasses or use paper towels. If one of your guests thinks it is icky that you don’t use soap on your sparkling wine glasses, solve the problem by striking that person from the guest list.
–If you’ll be serving sparkling wine, don’t put a damper on your dinner by blasting someone with the cork. This is serious: A Champagne cork can really do a number on your eyeball, and since the hospital emergency room will already be packed with inept turkey carvers, you’ll be there for hours if you suffer a 
mishap when opening your bubbly by the ballistic method. So: Keep constant and very firm downward pressure on the cork, even when unwinding the wire cage, which will require exactly six twists. Keep the cage on the cork, as it will enhance your grip. Ease the cork from the bottle by grasping it firmly as you twist the base of the bottle from side to side. A nearly inaudible result is what you want, with the faintest ‘pfffffffft’ showing that you know what you’re doing.
–Pay attention to serving temperature! Most Americans are guilty of serving their whites too cold and their reds too warm. Wines pulled directly from refrigerators–much less ice buckets–are 
typically so cold that aromas are suppressed and flavors flattened. Similarly, the old rule of thumb about serving reds at room temperature has led millions of people to mishandle their wine. The rule made sense when coined by some guy in the 18th century, but only because he lived in an English manor house without central heat. Reds lack focus and seem overly alcoholic at 72 degrees, and are much better at 62. So, stick your reds into the fridge for 20 minutes and pull your whites out of if for 20 minutes before cracking into them.
–Don’t overfill glasses when serving wine at the table. Sparkling
wines can be filled to slightly above halfway, since they look much better with that fill level, and you don’t want your guests thinking you are cheap on a day when you are supposed to be celebrating bounty. However, glasses for table wine should never be more than half full. An overfilled glass has no open space to collect the wine’s aromas, which are absolutely crucial for appreciating it fully.
–Last but not least: When you’ve gone through all of this and are finally ready to wine and dine, just relax and enjoy this wonderful beverage. It is famously difficult to get a perfect wine to harmonize with everything involved in Thanksgiving dinner, and 
you shouldn’t be shamed if your choice isn’t perfect with everything on the plate. After all, this meal brings wine pairing experts to their knees. And if some self-appointed expert at your table makes a nasty crack about your choice, don’t dignify his (it will surely be a he) comment with a reply. Just roll your eyes. And know that everyone else at the table is on your side!
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