Bills Ten Commandments of Wine Tasting

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Bills Ten Commandments of Wine Tasting

One:  Thy first impression is usually right.

Two:  It is not true that the more you pay for a bottle of wine, means it is better.  If you enjoy a $25 bottle of wine just as much as a $100 of the same varietal, count your lucky stars and buy four bottles!  Never allow anyone to tell you what wine you like or do not like.  You have your own tastes and palate.  Like rule number one, your first impression is usually right.

Three:  Drink wines at the appropriate temperature!  In very general, red wines are served at cooler room temperatures and white wines are best served chilled. When wines are served too warm they tend to taste unbalanced with an alcohol edge. When wines are served to cold, the innate flavors and aromas are significantly suppressed.  Optimal wine serving temperatures :

  • Tart, bright white wines: 48-52 degrees
  • Sparkling wine: 50-55 degrees
  • Rich white wines, like an aged chardonnay: 58-62 degrees
  • Light red wines (Chianti, Beaujolais, young Pinot Noir): 60-65 degrees
  • Heavy red wines: 63-68 degrees

Four:  If you purchase a bottle of wine at a restaurant that does not taste right or is not good, return it.  Also if the temperature doesn’t seem right, say something!  You paid hard earned money for that bottle of wine, so you should enjoy it!

Five:  There are no set rules for pairing food and wine.  Drink a bottle of your favorite wine with your meal.  You will be happy you did!

Six:  Expand your wine drinking palate.  You should always keep an open mind drinking other varietals.  If you usually only drink reds, try some whites; if you usually only drink whites, try some reds as you may be surprised and happy to have tried them!

Seven:  Never fill your wine to the top of your glass.  Your wine needs room to breath and it is impossible to swirl your glass if it is full.  Swirling the glass allows the wine and air to mix which opens the flavors and aromas of the wine.  A good rule of thumb is fill your glass between ¼ and ½.  Doing this may make your bottle of wine last longer into the evening too!

Eight:  Wine is good for you.  But you should drink in moderation because like anything else, too much of a good thing could be bad.

Nine:  Do not be fooled by imposters, “Wine” is made out of grapes and nothing else.  A wine made by any other fruit is not wine.

Ten:  Drink good wine!  Always share wines with great friends and open great wines only for those who appreciate them.

In Vino Veritas!

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Twitter: @BillswineWander

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