Our Top 5 Tips to get the most out of your wine
Whether you’re an enthusiastic amateur or an aspiring pro, we could all use few hot tips to get the absolute most out of our favourite drop…
What temperature should wine be served?
Are you ready to have your mind exploded? “Room Temperature” is NOT the correct temperature to serve red wine (and yes, you can quote us on that when Uncle Rob, wine wanker-extraordinaire, begs to differ).
The antiquated “room temperature” adage dates back to medieval France. The average room temperature here in 21st Century Oz is anywhere from 20-24ºC, the optimal temperature to serve your red is somewhere between 12-18º, depending on the type of wine. The lighter bodied, and less tannic, the lower the temperature.
And to get the most out of your white wines – between 6-13º. Again, depending on the body of the wine. P.S. This is A LOT warmer than the temperature of your fridge! Try taking your chosen bottle out of the fridge or Esky half an hour or so before you serve it.
Should you put ice in your wine?
This is the question… Look, we can’t tell you what to do, if watered down wine is your jam, you do you boo (seriously, no judgement here). But it is worth understanding that putting ice in your favourite vino is absolutely diluting the flavour.
And if a big ol’ glass of iced Chardy is your thing – you have options! Reusable ice cubes exist for a reason – they chill your juice without affecting the delicate flavours! Get on ‘em.
Does glassware make a difference?
Sorry if this makes us sound like wankers, but 100% it does.
Jam jars might be cool for that boho photo shoot, but they sure as hell are not going to help you get the most out of your wine.
The good news is, you absolutely don’t need to buy into the idea that every varietal of wine deserves its own unique glass. That actually is wankery.
A great universal glass should have a large bowl and taper slightly inward towards the top. This gives the wine room to breathe, but traps the aromas towards the neck of the glass, giving your senses the best chance to take them all in.
It should also feel comfortable in the hand and be well-balanced (i.e., not top heavy – so it doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall over once there’s liquid in it!). And yes, it should have a stem.
Try – Plumm, or Salt&Pepper Cuvee for some great examples (that won’t necessarily break the bank)!
When to drink the wine
Most of the wine you buy at your local bottle-o is destined to be consumed within 24 hours of purchase. And that’s the way it should be. If you’ve dropped twenty bucks on a bottle at Dan’s, chances are it was not produced to spend the next ten years in your cellar*
But if you are in the market for some cellar action – first thing’s first – figure out if you actually like aged wine. A lot of people DO NOT, and you know what? That’s an awesome thing to know about yourself.
But if you do love an aged drop – the best way to get an idea of when it will be at its peak, is to ask the winemaker. Don’t be embarrassed, it’s absolutely NOT a silly question and the maker will probably be flattered you cared enough to enquire.
*or under your stairs, or wardrobe in your spare bedroom
Where to store wine
Not in the kitchen! Unless it’s in the fridge obviously. And ABSOLUTELY not in the laundry.
Wine’s biggest enemies are heat, light and vibration. If you want to get the most out of your bottles, keep them somewhere dark, quiet and with a consistent temperature. We can’t all afford a temperature-controlled cellar, or even a wine fridge, so think the back of a wardrobe or under the stairs for best results.
