This article will be looking in to the habits that some wine lovers may have picked up that might change the taste of the wines you select.
There are five wine crimes, if we can call them that, that are easy to avoid:
1. Serving reds too warm
Familiar with the phrase “serve at room temperature”? That stems from the days before central heating, when our homes might have been around 18C. Now, they’re more likely to be 22-23C, a temperature that can make big reds taste soupy and over-alcoholic. Leave them somewhere cool, instead.
2. Serving whites too cold
The temptation is to pop white wine in the fridge earlier in the day, so you don’t forget to chill it, but the result may be that it’s way too cold by the time you come to drink it. This doesn’t matter so much with crisp, inexpensive whites such as picpoul, but it will strip out much of the flavour from a good chardonnay.
3. Pouring up to the top of the glass
This is one of my pet peeves, particularly with glasses as big as they are these days. Don’t assume your guests want to drink 250ml of wine, not least because it will warm up in the glass as they sip their way through it. Pour no more than half a glass. You can always top it up.
4. Pouring into dusty glasses
If you save your best wine glasses for a special occasion, chances are they’ll be a bit dusty – or musty, if you’ve stored them upside down. Blindingly obvious, maybe, but give them a good wash and a rinse first.
5. Not giving wines enough air
It may not be enough to draw the cork (or unscrew the cap). Full-bodied, young reds, in particular, benefit from a good aerating, to soften the tannins.
“If wine lovers can avoid making these five ‘crimes on wines’, you may find that your next glass of wine will taste better than previously expected.”