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Serving Red Wine Properly, Just Like a Connoisseur Part 1.

Published by Edward Drago | December 12th 2009 | Views:
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Serving Red Wine Properly

Just Like A Connoisseur Part. 1

Red wines are best enjoyed when they are served the right way; sadly, many excellent bottles are wasted simply because their owners did not know how to properly serve them. Serving red wine is an art that is relatively easy to master - all you have to do is learn a few basic facts about this wonderful drink and you will be on your way to serving red wine just like a connoisseur.


Optimal Serving Red Wine Temperature

You've probably been told that "room temperature" is the optimal serving temperature for reds. This is a common misconception - what "room temperature" refers to is the temperature of wine storage cellars, which are a few degrees colder than normal weather. The optimal serving red wine temperature is somewhere between 60 and 65*F (15-18*C). Serving red wine at a higher temperature than 60 to 65*F will cause the alcohol to rear its ugly head and add an undesirable bite to the taste. The tannins will rise as the wine's fruity notes fall, throwing the flavor completely out of balance. Serving red wine too cold, and you won't be able to get the full vibrancy of the fruit's flavors. A handy tip is to chill the bottle in a refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, or an ice water bucket for roughly 10-15 minutes prior to serving. This should be enough time to bring the vino to its optimum drinking temperature.

Take note that lighter red wines, like Beaujolais, can be served at cooler temperatures, but not lower than 50*F (10*C).

Aeration is an Important Aspect of Serving Red Wine

Some people prefer to let their reds sit for an hour or so after opening the bottle. This is meant to aerate the wine and bring out its full flavor. However wine bottles normally have narrow mouths, which means there is not much room for air to circulate into the bottle. So when serving red wine, rather than letting the wine sit in the bottle, pour it directly into a glass and allow it to aerate there. Swirling the wine in your glass for a few minutes provides ample aeration, and is one proper method for serving. Since the wine will warm up during aeration, it is essential to properly chill the bottle to achieve the optimal serving red wine temperature.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to read Part 2 of this lesson, click one of the Wine Etiquette links for additional fascinating Wine Lessons and Resources.

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Edward Drago author of Wine Etiquette Mastery, invites you to learn more about wine and increase your wine confidence through his FREE "Wine Etiquette and Wine Tasting Mastery" email mini-course. To increase your wine knowledge and improve your wine experiences, sign up for his Free Email Mini-Course Today: Wine Etiquette Mini-Course

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