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. If you are among them, I’d certainly like to see you enjoy wine much more frequently in the future, but for now we need to get you through today with a positive experience. Here are a few pointers that may help you, and perhaps one or two that might come as news even to more experienced wine lovers:
–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 that can seriously screw up your wine. Be sure to rinse your glasses 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. If you are prepared to rinse endlessly and take your chances (like my WRO colleague Michael Apstein), then go for it. However, 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 (and if you’ve got it, you should damned well serve it!) please take note: 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!
1