The Tasting Stage – Glassware and Decanting

The Tasting Stage

The tasting stage is perhaps the most enjoyable part of possessing wine. Yet poor technique could diminish you enjoyment, or even the quality of the wine.

The most important thing to keep in mind is not to rush when choosing the bottle you want to drink. Taking the time to select the correct glassware and serving the wine at optimal temperature will reduce any chances of the wine spoiling, and all those years of self restraint going to waste. The temperature of wine in the glass tends to rise rapidly, so cool it to 2 degrees Celsius lower than the common recommendation, particularly on a hot day. Recommended serving temperatures can be viewed on the WineLook tasting sheet. Temperature has an immense impact on the taste of a wine. A wine thermometer is an essential tool in your home bar. Remember, wine temperature below 5 degrees Celsius anesthetizes the pallet, and temperature over 18 degrees Celsius results in wine losing its bouquet and freshness. Never warm red wine in an oven or microwave. The best way to warm chilled wine or to cool it, is to place it into a bucket of water and ice. 

The glassware should be plain to allow the colour of the wine to shine through all sides and thin walled with a stem. Generally you need four different glasses: a large-bowled glass for the red to breath, a small tulip shaped glass for whites, shorter stemmed glass for dessert wines, port and sherry, and tall, slender Champagne flute which reduces the surface area of the drink open to the air, thereby preserving the bubbles longer.

It is a common misnomer that wine should be opened several hours before a party to let it breath. This can be accomplished by simply swirling your glass. In the case of old wine, it is better to decant it, this process not only airs the wine, but also helps to separate the liquid from naturally occurring sediment in the bottle. The bottle should be kept upright several days before opening it, in order to allow the sediment to settle on the bottom of the bottle.

Different forms of decanters exist. The act of decanting is a very romantic procedure. Some people use candle light to view and prevent the stream of lose sediment from passing through the bottle neck. A torch can be just as effective in this process. If the bottle is too dark, stop decanting when 50 to 60 ml of wine is left in the bottle.

Chosing the correct glassware can help add to the fulfillment you feel when sampling, smelling or looking at wine. An attractive decanter can further add to the exhilarating feeling associated with uncorking a cellared wine.