How to Present and Taste Wine

by Margot Kelsey

The Presenting Person

The person who is presenting a bottle of wine will need two things, besides the wine and the glasses, a waiter's wine opener and a wine linen, or cloth that essentially catches the  drips while pouring the wine.

The first step is to present the bottle to the person who ordered the wine. Hopefully the bartender has selected the one that was asked for! If all is well with the bottle, proceed to opening. Then begin opening the foil from the top of the bottle. Cut this below the first lip on the bottle so the foil is completely and cleanly cut away. Then insert the worm (corkscrew part of the opener) and rotate the corkscrew until it is up to the fourth ring of the worm. Then securely place the lever portion on the lip of the bottle. Place your thumb to support and secure the lever as you pull the cork out. Place the cork in front of the person who is doing the tasting, they will inspect it as you pour their tasting sip. This should only be about one ounce, no more! They will taste and tell you if it is good, and to proceed to pour. Pour the wine filling the taster's glass last, and only pour a half of a glass at a time.

The Tasting Person

Select a wine that will go well with the food that has been ordered or prepared. The server will present the bottle and you must check to make sure it is the correct vineyard, the correct varietal and the correct year. If it is you must then instruct the server to begin opening.

The cork

In examining the cork there are a few things that you will want to check. The first is if the wine has "run" or been pulled up through the cork by suction from improperly storing, or improper corking. This will allow air to reach the wine and it may have turned.

The Tasting

The server will pour the wine into the glass (not more than an ounce!). To break or release the bouquet swirl the wine in the glass allowing the wine to hit as much surface area as possible, the more surface area the better release on the bouquet. Next smell the wine twice, slowly letting the wine waft to get the palate ready to taste the wine. Sip a small amount of wine allowing it to slide over the surface of the tongue, and hit all the taste buds. While sipping try to also breathe in air to better taste the wine, without choking, of course! If the wine tastes good tell the server they can pour for the rest of the table.

Bad wine will taste like red wine vinegar if it is red and if it is white, will taste like moldy straw or turned cider, depending on the components the wine started with.

This is the basic way to taste and to pour a bottle of wine.

Helpful Hints

*Never touch the bottle to the glass when pouring.

*Roll the bottle slightly when finishing pouring and there will be less dripping.

*Always hold a wine glass by the stem, this is what it was designed for, it keeps the temperature better.

Since wine has been around for so long it has many stigmas and snobbery associated with it. Do not be intimidated everybody starts somewhere. Try different wines and write them down in a notebook. Remember the year along with the vineyard and varietal. Ask your local wine/liquor store questions or there are some web sights also. These have some specific and some general views of wine and wine history.

www.winespectator.com

www.wine.com