So long as you’re alone at home you can chug your wine straight from the bottle or even a plastic cup (shudder!). But when you’re in civilized company (and not in your jammies), drinking wine calls for basic etiquette. This isn’t about being snobbish. It’s about being respectful of the artistry that goes into making wine. So here are a few do’s and don’ts if you wish to avoid a major social faux pas.
1. Serve others before you serve thyself
We know that you can’t wait to get a big hearty sip, but be kind and serve others before you serve yourself.
2. The cup shan’t brimmeth over
A wine glass should ideally be filled up to about one-third only. You’ll need to give your guests room to swirl the wine around, take a whiff of the aromas and enjoy the wine.
3. Holding the glass
Hold the glass at the base. This way your body heat will not affect the temperature of the wine. You can lift your pinkie finger when you take a sip (just kidding!).
4. Serve it at the right temperature
Everyone knows that white wine needs to be served cold, and red wine at room temperature. But when you live in India, the room temperature can be very high (as high as 40℃ in the summers). And nobody wants a glass of lukewarm wine, right? So feel free to cool the bottle in your fridge for 15- 20 mins.
5. Pouring the wine
Don’t spill it or splash it. Remember to hold the bottle at the base, and tip it gently so. Pour it in the center of the glass, allowing the bouquet to permeate the glass and float upward.
6. Asking for seconds
You’re a guest at someone’s house. And you’ve chugged down your wine at the speed of light (boring parties can do that to you). Do you ask for a refill or wait till the host completes his drink? Wait! Be polite and go easy on your wine.
7. Order of serving
This is the most baffling trick of them all! What is the order of serving wine? Resist the temptation of having an open bar. Serve from the lightest to the heaviest, and the driest to the sweetest. Here’s the order we’d recommend – light whites (Sauvignon Blanc), heavy whites (Chardonnay), rosés, light reds (Merlot), heavy reds (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz) and then dessert wine.
That covers the basics. There are more rules to follow if you’re dining with the royalty. Get in touch with us and we’ll share those details with you. Cheers!