Serving wine with the Bordeaux Wine Experience

The glass

A wine glass should be:

• Colorless
• Transparent
• Unadorned
• Made of lead crystal
• Thin-walled with a cut and polished lip
• Egg-shaped
• Stemmed

Size
The size of a glass is important, showing the quality and intensity of aromas. The evaporation space has to be chosen according to the "personality" of the wine or spirit. It is best to respect the appropriate serving quantities:

Serving Quantities
Approximately 3 ounces for white wine 4 up to a maximum of 5 ounces for red wine 1 ounce for spirits.

General Rules
Red wines and their character require large glasses white wines medium-sized glasses and spirits small ones in order to emphasize the fruit character and not the alcohol.

Shape
The content determines the shape.
The glasses are designed to emphasize a wine's harmony, not its faults. They should be viewed as an instrument to bring together:

• Personality of the wine
• Smell Taste
• The Sense of Sight

The Bordeaux Wine Experience organizes all tastings at Chateau Coulon Laurensac using Riedel stemware.

Acknowledgement: Many thanks to Riedel Crystal who provides us with most of the information regarding wine glasses.

Serving temperature

Wine Category	Serving Temperature °C	Serving Temperature °F
Very Mature Red Grand Crus	17-18	63-65
Bordeaux Reds - Grand Crus	16-17	61-63
Burgundy Reds - Grand Crus	15-16	59-61
Full-Bodied Reds, Mature Reds	14-16	57-61
Full-Bodied Dry Whites	14-16	57-61
Young, Light, Fruity Reds	11-12	52-54
Beaujolais Nouveau	10-12	50-54
Red Vins de Pays	10-12	50-54
Rosés	10-12	50-54
Dry Whites	10-12	50-54
Petit Whites & White Vins de Pays	8-10	46-50
Champagne & Sparkling Wines	6-8	43-46
Sweet Whites	6	43

 

Decanting

In the case of most aged Red Grand Crus, a natural sediment is produced when co lour pigments react with tannins. Decanting a wine is the action of pouring the wine into a container like a carafe or jug. Decanting enables us to separate the sediment leaving the wine crystal clear to drink.

Advantages of Decanting

1. Gas trapped inside
   To let out traces of gas trapped inside the bottle as a result of fermentation.
2. Oxidization
   Decanting facilitates oxidization of the wine, turning a vigorous young red wine more mellow and round.
3. Bouquet
   It helps the development of the aroma, bringing out the bouquet of the wine.
4. Sediment
   In the case of most aged Red Grand Crus, a natural sediment is produced when co lour pigments react with tannins. Decanting enables us to separate the sediment leaving the wine crystal clear to drink.

Disadvantages of Decanting

1. Increase Acidity
   Decanting accelerates oxidization and hence increases the acidity of the wine. For young white wines and rosés, this is not desirable. Never decant a Champagne.
2. Loss of Aroma
   Hastening the development of the aroma might kill a red Grand Cru that has past its peak, as the structure of the wine is already very unstable. That is why we never decant an ancient fragile red wine.

How to decant
A young and robust wine can be handled with less care. But extra attention has to be paid to mature red Grand Crus. They should be taken out of the Cellar and left standing upright 1 or 2 days before drinking. This will allow the sediment to settle.

1. Open the bottle
   Rest the bottle in a basket and proceed to open the bottle.
2. A Carafe
   Have a clean carafe ready. Rinsing it with a little bit of the wine will be better as the chemicals in the carafe will react with the wine producing unwanted flavors.
3. Light a candle
4. A single steady pour
   This is for lighting up the neck of the bottle during pouring. It also helps warming up the wine. With the neck of the bottle immediately above the candle, pour the wine slowly but steadily into the carafe without causing any backward flow even when sediment is approaching the neck. During pouring, the bottle should be maintained as horizontal as possible.
5. Stop
   Stop pouring when the sediment is accumulating and settling down on the neck of the bottle.

Opening the bottle

1. The Capsule
   The Capsule is normally made of metal (lead or aluminum), plastic or wax which should not touch the wine when served. Hence cut the capsule around the neck of the bottle in the middle of the lip. The top of the capsule can now be removed.
2. Cleaning
   The top of the cork as well as the neck of the bottle should be wiped with a piece of cloth or a napkin.
3. Removing the cork
   Use a corkscrew or any wine opener to do this. Make sure that the cork is not pierced.
4. Smelling the cork
   It should not have any rotten or funny smell.
5. Opening a bottle of Champagne or Sparkling Wine
   After removing the foil, loosen and remove the metal fastener with ease. With the thumb of one hand on the metal crown of the cork and the other hand holding the bottle, push the cork very delicately (sometimes a skillful twist will help). Because the bottle is under pressure, the cork pushes itself out explosively if you allow it. So, keep the pressure on the cork with the thumb to stop it from doing that resulting in only a 'pop'

 

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