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Hints for Wine Buffs
Serving TemperaturesGenerally red wines are served at room temperature. ie. 14 to 18 degrees C . Some lighter reds ie Pinot Noir may be chilled to 12 C. Whites about 10 C. Chilling will tone down the bouquet & accentuate the acids & tannins. Sauvignon Blancs, Sparkling, Gewurtztraminer may be chilled to 8 C. How to achieve these temperatures Most fridges run at about 6 C A bottle of wine at room temp - say 17 C 1 hour achieves 13.5 C 2 hours achieves 11.0 C 3 hours achieves 9.0 C 4 hours achieves 8.0 C Storing after opening a bottle Air is both a friend & an enemy of wine. A little helps it develop --- too much will kill it pretty quickly. Whites die quicker than reds Cork & into the fridge. 1 day for whites 2 days for reds. Commercial Vacu Vin work quite well & will add at least another day or two. Unopened wine does not like to be left in the frig. more than a few days. 2 weeks & the flavour & aroma will become irreversibly deadened. Storage of Wine A cellar in most cases can only be dreamed of in modern houses. However a cupboard or wardrobe on the southern side of the house may be the answer. Wines with corks must be stacked on their sides to keep the cork moist & expanded. Ideally your storage area must have a constant cool temp between 6 - 16 C & preferably only varying a couple of degrees. A max/min thermometer will assist here. Subdued light. Vibration free. Note the cupboard under the stairs, which is often a favourite spot, is NOT suitable in a wooden house. Those going for honours will endeavour to have a high humidity (70% RH or more) - this keeps the outer end of the cork well expanded. Max/min Thermometer Hygrometers are available. Always use the correct glasses The correct glass is the second best way to improve the quality of the wine. Use the best quality you have & use the correct shape. Generally a red wine glass will be spherical with a good big bulb, turning back on itself. A white wine glass is more tulip shaped again turning inwards at the mouth. A sparkling wine glass is long & fluted, helping to preserve the bubbles for as long as possible. Never fill the glass more than two thirds full --- the aroma collects in the top third. Remember than 80% of our taste buds are located in the nose. Wine Terms Corked wine is not that bit of the cork that sometimes appears on the first poured glass. It is a relatively common fault where bacteriologically tainted cork flavours the wine. Gives mouldy aroma & flavour. Roll on metal screw caps!! Balanced Wine is when all its characteristics work in harmony. None over powering another. Complex wine has many different qualities often with compounded flavours. Oxidised-too much exposure to the air. Has an unpleasant caramelised sherry like aroma & flavour. Short Flavour disappears suddenly in the mouth. Tannins --- naturally occurring chemical, from the stems & pips (harsh) & the skin (soft). The tannins ripen with the grape. Hard or coarse tannins tend to be more astringent & sting the inside of the mouth. Cellaring often lowers the tannin effect. Length---- Describes how long the flavours last in the mouth -long - medium - or short. A Difficult Food Match What to drink with spicy food? Reds do not go well with Thai or Chinese where there is a mix of dishes of different sweetness, acidity & flavour, & the wine can taste bitter. Whites which work well include reisling,gewurtztraminer & pinot gris (which are stunning with ginger) & sauvignon blanc. For dishes with coconut milk, unoaked chardonnay is least likely to taste sour. With Indian food-stick to beer or water!! Red Wine Stains As soon as possible dab spot with an absorbent cloth, to suck up the excess. Do not scrub. Next dab on soda water-or white wine and again suck up the excess. Continue doing this until stain has gone --hopefully. |
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