Tips for drinking red wine include using the right glass, serving at the right temperature, allowing it to air, and enjoying it with all senses. It’s important to take time to enjoy the wine and not worry about cultural status. Swirl the wine to increase aeration and smell it before tasting. Taste slowly and enjoy the nuances of flavor.
There are several tips and techniques for drinking red wine, although the best advice often depends on a person’s circumstances. In general, however, red wine should be poured into the right kind of glass and served at the right temperature for full enjoyment. It should be allowed to air; this can be assisted by a gentle swirl and should be enjoyed by as many senses as possible during the tasting. Someone who drinks red wine should typically remember that the process is supposed to be fun.
One of the most important tips for enjoying red wine is for the drinker to really take the time to enjoy the wine and not worry about what anyone else might think. Tasting and drinking wine, red or white, should be a fun and enjoyable experience, not a test of cultural status. Drinking red wine should typically begin with proper serving of the wine, however, to ensure that the flavors and aromas of the wine are as complete as possible.
The wine should be poured into a red wine glass, which is slightly shorter and rounder than a white wine glass, and served at room temperature. A red wine glass is shaped differently than a white wine glass to increase the amount of wine exposure to the air, increasing the aeration of the wine. Many wine experts also suggest that red wine should be served at “room temperature”, however, this is quite vague. The ambient temperature in Arizona in the summer is very different from the ambient temperature in France in the winter. In general, “ambient temperature” means slightly chilled, but not really chilled and is closer to the temperature of a cellar or place where the wine would be stored.
Before actually drinking red wine, the drinker should gently swirl the wine in the glass. It works with the natural shape of the glass to increase aeration in the wine, causing more flavors to be released into the wine. Once aerated for a few seconds, the drinker should smell the wine, gently inhaling the aroma of the red wine. This is to help the drinker ensure that there are no “off” smells in the wine, such as vinegar or chemical smells, and to begin “drinking” through his or her senses.
The sense of smell is closely linked to a person’s taste, therefore by smelling the wine the taster begins to perceive the wine. Once this is done, and there are no “off” smells to the wine, then the person should taste. This should be a small taste at first, and the taster should take some time to let it rest on his or her tongue, feel the body of the wine, and enjoy subtle nuances of flavor. After this initial taste, the drinker can enjoy any lasting “finish” from the wine, and then continue drinking red wine to fully enjoy it.
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