For all those wine lovers out there who would like to know everything about wine, (but are afraid to ask) here is a quick reference, a must for any connaisseur. Several minor problems can inhibate your favourite beverage being enjoyed to the full. All to often wine is drunk at the wrong temperature, be it too warm, not warm enough, to cold or not cold enough.

Below is a guide to keep you right, on the correct sevring temperature, storing and preservation of both wine and champagne.

What is the right temperature for serving wine?

The general guide for storing red wines, white wines, sparkling wines and champagnes are as follows :
Red wine, usually between 18 and 22 degrees(C),(or room temperature).
White wines & rose wines are mainly kept between 5 and 7 degrees(C),(usually kept in a fridge or cooler).
Champagne & sparkling wines again store between 3 and 5 degrees(C) and could be kept in a separate fridge or cooler.

White wines & Sparkling wines

White wines, sparkling wines and rose wines should be placed in a fridge before serving so as to make sure they are adequately chilled to optimum temperature. It is far better to use a wine cooler when serving white wines and rose's and an ice bucket when serving the Champagne & sparkling wines.
For serving Champagne & sparkling wines fill the bucket 1/2 with ice and water, this method keeps the champagne chilled to perfection. Also to achieve the professional touch place a white serving cloth over over the bucket for handling the bottle

Red Wines
Red wines usually tend to be at room temperature on a wine rack or placed elsewhere separate form the other wines. For displaying wine that is served often the level of light is not to much to worry about as the light would have enough time to have any affect on the wine.
There are different red wines that require some temperature variation for optimum taste for example, Merlots, Sauvignons and Zinfandels. Moderately tannic red wines like Merlot have been shown to taste better at slightly lower than normal room temperature, somewhere between 15 and 18 degrees (C). And of course, a few super high tannin reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandels and Syrahs need less of a chill, yet still are preferred somewhere between 17 and 19 degrees(C).

Tannic wines:
Tannin is the compound found in wine, deriving primarilly from the skin of the grape, that allows wine to age well. Tannin makes the wine "dry" in your mouth, because of this quality that people sometimes say tannin in young wine can be "searing."
For correct storing conditions You will need a cool, dark or dimly lit area that is somewhat humid to store your red wine. The temperature should be right around 11 to 18 degrees (C). and should remain fairly constant throughout the storage period.
Wine that is stored in conditions warmer than these tend to age faster. A wine you would normally consider keeping for 6 to 10 years might only be kept for 3 to 5 years . Bright lighting can also have a deleterious affect on wine so you'll want your cellar to remain dark or dimly lit at best.

How long can I store wine? What will I need?

Most wine, made or imported into the USA up to the $20.00 price point, is meant to be consumed within a year or two of release. Sure some of these will get better in another year of two, and if this happens its ok. Most of the world's wines (at least 90%) are meant to be consumed young. Some Red wines though can be cellared for prolonged periods of time and some of the finest reds in the world can be kept for a number of years.
Ageworthy wines are based on one of three grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Nebbiolo. Perfect examples of these three are red Bordeaux, Hermitage, and Barolo.

Can leftover wine be saved? For how long and how can i do it?

Leftover wine can be saved, The key point here is to keep oxygen away from the wine. When wine oxydizes, it degrades quickly and can soon turn into a good salad dressing vinegar. Find a small container that will hold the wine that is left over to the point were the container is virtually overflowing. Cap the container with a cork or plug so that some of the wine spills out. This way, you will have no air in the container. Store the container in your refrigerator.
When you are ready to drink it again, remove the container and let it warm-up to the desired drinking temperature, depending on whether it is red or white wine. You can store your wine this way for about 5 to 7 days. But not much longer than this. Another idea for cooks is to freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays, then transfer to freezer bags to use in sauces. etc.

Attention E-zine Editors: You may use this article on your Website or in your e-zine royalty free, as long as you publish the complete article along with everything in the resource box. You must also post this message. Thank you.
I started my career as a bartender many years ago in a small pub in Ireland. My great passion for the trade has given me the opportunity to travel while expanding my knowledge and experience. During my extensive travels I have worked in many different & flamboyant environments. While I gained flairing, exhibitionist and cocktail mixology skills I had the opportunity to flavour many different cultures and there differing tastes.
Mr wine how to serve wine

Resource Box

barstools

bar equipment

About the Author

I started my career as a bartender many years ago in a small pub in Ireland. My great passion for the trade has given me the opportunity to travel while expanding my knowledge and experience. During my extensive travels I have worked in many different & flamboyant environments. While I gained flairing, exhibitionist and cocktail mixology skills I had the opportunity to flavour many different cultures and there differing tastes.

Thoughts about Wine Prints

Wine and Oak - A beautiful relationship


One of the biggest influences on the flavour of wine is whether it has been matured, or even just stored, in oak. There are people who are prejudiced ...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Featured Wine Prints Items

Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche de Falletto


"The limited cuvee made from four blocks of the Falletto Vineyard called Rocche, the 1998 Barolo Rocche di Falletto, borders on perfection. This massive, full-bodied dry red wine is spectacular. A dark plum color reveals lightening at the edge. Stunning aromatics offer up scents of crushed stones intermixed with cherry jam and sweet tobacco. There are loads of glycerin, moderately high tannin, and an amazingly long finish of nearly 50 seconds. As staggering as it is now, I am sure it will close down and require 7-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2035." This perfect red from Italy is a great gift fro wine lover! RP - 98 (Subject to Availability) BGR98 BGR98


Price: 285.99 USD



News about Wine Prints

Wine for Your Valentine

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:47:51 PST
The month of February is the month to show your loved ones how special they truly are. Of course we should show appreciation every day but in reality we don’t. It is not because we don’t care or we don’t want to. The fact of the matter is that we are often so caught up in our everyday lives that we may forget to appreciate the ones we love.

Wine+Tours Videos

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:57:34 PST
Fun, educational way to spend your next vacation taking a wine tour. Go with friends or meet new ones along the way. The videos will help you decide where you want to go first. Once you are educated, you will have a much greater appreciation of wine and it's making. Book it now.

Everything you never thought you wanted to know - wine racks

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:11:49 PST
This is a very cool site that addresses various aspects of wine appreciation, from wine racks to business in the wine rack (wine) industry.

Wine Gift - You can't go wrong with a Gift like Wine

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:19:22 PST
A wine gift is a gift that everybody loves, appreciate and sometimes expect.

Tuscany Bicycle Tours: Cycling Through Italian Wine Country

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:24:08 PST
Scoop on cycling through Tuscany, Italy for wine appreciation or just for the fun of participating in an awesome cycling trip. Wine, gourmet food and fantastic scenery, what's not to like?


Total Wine
Wine Chiller
Tags: Wine Caddy

Labels: Wine Food, Wine Gift

&type=page">