At its most basic level, the pleasure in a glass of wine depends upon the wine. Nothing you can do will make bad wine taste good. On the other hand, there are any numbers of things a person can do to make a good wine taste even better.
No. 1: Serve wine at the correct temperature. Beaujolais, Dolcetto and other light reds are best with a slight chill. Even sturdy reds should be served relatively cool, around 65 degrees. Tannic reds served too warm can be astringent and unpleasant on the palate. It’s a good idea to store your wines away from appliances, such as stoves or hot water heaters.
White wines and bubblies, for the most part, should be served cold. The great exception is Chardonnay, which to me is best when served cool rather than ice cold. When I order a Chardonnay or white Burgundy in a restaurant, I decline an ice bucket, unless it’s a warm day and there is no air conditioning. High acid wines, such as Albarino or Gruner Veltliner, and sparkling wines will typically taste flat if served too warm.
No. 2: Choose a decent glass. I know it is custom in some parts of the world to serve wine in a water glass, but I would save that experience for cheap Valpolicella. I want a glass that is wider mid-bowl than at the mouth, so I can give my wine, red or white, a good swirl. Far from an affectation, the swirl serves to aerate the wine and bring out the aromas.
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The standard glass we use at my numerous wine competitions is the Riedel Ouverture red wine glass. It has good volume at a little more than 12 ounces, and it’s versatile with all types of wine, red or white, and dishwasher safe. But virtually every department store has a broad selection of perfectly fine stemware for wine, so you should opt for whatever suits your eye and your budget.
No. 3: Decant whenever practical. I decant red and white wines, primarily to aerate the younger wines, but sometimes to separate the sediment from older red wines. If you are not convinced that white wines benefit from decanting, I only ask that you try it once.
The act of decanting need not be an onerous task. While I have an array of crystal decanters at home, while traveling I’ve sometimes resorted to using a water pitcher. It’s not fancy, but it works. In restaurants, I usually accept if they offer to decant, unless I think I might not finish the wine and plan to take the leftover home.
None of the above, however, should be construed as a substitute for choosing a good wine in the first place. What’s in the glass is still the top priority.
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