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Top books on wine
"From Vines to Wines"
Learn how wines are made
"Wine
Facts"
Learn the mistakes the
self-appointed 'experts' make--Be the real wine guru in your
crowd!
In an easy-to-read format key explanations are presented to clear up the
confusion and poor guesses people make. Plus, the reasons behind
proper service of our favorite beverage.
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--- Let's dispel the many myths about wine and how it's
served ---
Facts about
Wine Service
Why do so many waiters and waitresses not know why they're doing what they're
doing when they serve wine?
Poor or no training!
Why should the host drink the first pour out of a freshly opened bottle of
wine?
For two reasons: (1) If there are any cork fragments left in the bottle, they
will float and most will enter the first glass poured. The host should
accept this to ensure his/her guests get a clean pour. And, (2) to test a
restaurant wine for "goodness". That is, if a wine has "turned" and is
undrinkable, this short sample pour provides the host (in a restaurant
setting) the opportunity to order a replacement bottle before his guests'
palates are compromised.
Why do you "let a wine breath?"
Because some of the wine character has been "bottled up". "Breathing" a wine
is a term to indicate allowing it exposure to air for a period of time before
drinking. This interaction with air opens up taste potentials and mellows
harshness of a young wine. How much time is ideal for wine varies according
to the wine, its type, its age, your taste and other factors. Recommended
times are only a guideline and can be arbitrary, but there's some agreement
that a strong, rich, young Cabernet or Syrah can use 1 to 2 hours. Whites
generally reach their peak at around 30 minutes. We suggest no breathing for
very old wines. In any case, taking your time in drinking a wine will expose
the changes and a connoisseur should be interested in the spectrum of
flavor development as air adds its effect.
When should a waiter or waitress NOT offer the
host at a table a "test" drink before pouring for the guests?
These questions are all answered in the booklet:
What causes a wine to "turn"?
Can most people detect turned wine?
What if you really think it's turned bad?
Can you get sick from spoiled wine?
Why do you store wine with the bottles lying on their sides?
How do you match wine to food?
What about dessert wines?
What exactly am I looking for when swirling wine in a glass?
What is behind sniffing the cork?
Is this also true for the palate?
Please tell me the proper way to hold the wine glass for reds and whites?
Common sense would say, reds by the bowl and whites by the stem. Is this
proper?
What's the difference between Brandy and Cognac? How do they relate to wine?
What's the preferred glass shape for champagne?
What are the proper or ideal temperatures for various wines?
What is a still wine?
What about ice cubes?
How does the price of a wine relate to its quality?
What's the best approach to getting the best wine within a budget?
Will what I like be what you like?
Why does quality change year to year for the same label?
What's the best corkscrew?
If someone pays $100 or more for a corkscrew, does he/she have a screw
loose?
Can I use a closet as a wine cellar?
What is the "French paradox" and how does it suggest the health benefits
of wine? Is there any science behind this belief?
Is white wine as healthy as red wine?
Email to:
Sommelier@variagate.com
"Grapes to Wine"
Learn how wines are made
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By the editors of Cook's Magazine!