The oldest winery to date was founded in what is now Armenia in 4100 B.C.
So we’ve known for a long time how to drink wine. But even now, more than 6,000 years later, a lot of us don’t know how to best serve it.
The proper glass won’t turn a cheap bottle of wine into a top-shelf bottle, but it will improve the experience.
White
To fully enjoy white wines and preserve the floral aromas associated with the liquid, the wine should be served in smaller, bowled glasses. These glasses should be smaller, so there is a shorter distance from the wine to the nose, allowing the drinker to indulge more aromas.
Red
Red wines typically are bolder when it comes to taste, so taller and wider bowl-based wine glasses are ideal. A larger glass allows more time for the ethanol in reds to evaporate, allowing the aroma to become much more prevalent. The more air in the glass, the wider the palate of flavor.
Specialty
For varieties such as rosé and dessert wines, smaller glasses are encouraged. With dessert wines, which typically have higher alcohol contents, the smaller glass size directs the alcohol to the back of the mouth, which helps compensate for the extreme sweetness the wine may have.
Decanter vs. Aerator
Aerators and decanters are great ways to open up wine and allow for more air to get into the glass.
An aerator is normally attached to the top of the bottle and aggressively swirls the wine around when pouring it into a glass. This is good for those in a hurry or for everyday use.
Decanters essentially do the same, but allow for longer periods of time for the wine to breathe. Typically, these are reserved for elegant evenings with friends and family, and the wine can sit in the glass for hours without spoiling.
Rocco Falleti is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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