Wondering About Wine
This month as we enjoy the extra moments of light at the end of the day and patiently (or perhaps not so patiently) await Spring, we will be answering some frequently asked questions about wine production and service.
What is the ideal temperature for serving white wine?
Ideally, white wines are enjoyed cooler than reds. Experts recommend that white wine is served at between 49 and 55 degrees, which is slightly warmer than the temperature of a home refrigerator. Conversely, reds are served slightly cooler than room temperature, between 62 and 68 degrees. Rosés might be best enjoyed right out of the refrigerator at 44 to 55 degrees. When it comes to Sparkling wine, ice cold is preferred with a temperature of 38 to 45. That is why we often see champagne in a bucket of ice and cold water mix.
One helpful tip for people who want to keep it simple is the 20-minute rule: take whites out of the fridge for 20 minutes before serving and put reds in for 20 minutes before opening.
Ultimately, personal preferences rule the day. You should enjoy your wine at the temperature that tastes best to you.
Do we really need to let wine “breathe?”
Although it can sometimes come off as a bit pretentious, letting wine breathe is simply the process of exposing wine to the air, which softens the flavors and releases aromas. To a minor extent, aeration takes place every time you pour your favorite vintage from the bottle to your glass. Some wines, predominantly reds, benefit from longer exposure to enhance flavors.
Experts advise that youthful red wine will benefit from exposure to air for 30 minutes or so to soften the tannins and deepen flavors and aromas. To accomplish this, you can just open the bottle, or you can pour the wine into a decanter (glass or crystal container with a wide bottom and long thin neck). Young robust red wines respond well to lots of oxygen while older more delicate varieties (Burgandy or Pinot Noir) require less exposure.
Since white wines do not have the tannins associated with reds there is no need to let them breathe.
How many servings are in a bottle of wine?
We will give you the expert’s opinion, but this issue definitely depends upon personal preference!
The standard serving serve is 5 oz. and the typical bottle of wine holds 25.4 oz. or 750 milliliters. Using this calculation, you could enjoy 5 glasses of wine from each bottle.
Here at Four Friends and Two Bottles, we estimate 4 glasses of wine out of a standard size bottle, which means we are enjoying a bit more than the recommended serving.
A typical white wine glass holds 12 oz. of wine while a red wine glass holds 16 oz. (the larger size allows for increased exposure to air, as discussed above). Therefore, if you are keeping with standard serving sizes, a glass would only be about half or a third full. Again, this is merely a suggestion. Local wine connoisseur and faithful Table Hopping reader, Joan Brown, takes a unique approach to serving wine and strongly prefers her glass filled to the rim. That is a bountiful pour! Luckily, Joan applies a helpful maxim to support moderation: “Enjoy the first, Sip the second, and Refuse the third.” If we all followed Joan’s sage advice, many headaches would be avoided.
How does geography affect the taste of wine?
Geography can have an enormous effect on wine production. Altitude, temperature, humidity, and soil composition impact the flavor of the grape. Many parts of the world are simply too cold or too hot to grow grapes successfully.
Most wineries are located between 30- and 50-degrees latitude on either side of the equator. Moderate temperatures are optimal because when it’s too cold grapes don’t ripen and when it’s too hot overripe grapes make overly sweet wines with unpleasant flavors.
Elevation impacts wine production since grapes harvested in the mountains have a longer growing season thanks to longer cooler nights. Growers use the expression: chilly nights on the vine, wine lives a long time.
Soil type also factors into taste by determining the availability of nutrients and water. Grapes that struggle to survive often make complex and tasty wines. Sandy soil tends to produce more elegant wines like Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France and Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. Comparatively, clay-based soils tend to produce bolder, more structured wines like Shiraz from Australia or Merlot from Bordeaux, France.
We hope this was helpful. While there are many more wine questions to be answered, we are going to close now and get ready for Spring!
Cheers to all from Kathy, Kate, Pam, Eileen, Dottie, and Carolyn.
Kathy Doner | Kate Fauci | Pam Romeo | Carolyn Brown
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