Red wine: 8 essential tips on how to drink it
Australians love a glass of red. Perhaps it’s due to our penchant for partying, or our myriad growing regions producing some of the world’s finest varieties, or is it because we simply love pairing our quality produce with a fine wine?
It’s probably a combination of these things and more, but regardless of the reasoning, we buy and drink a lot of red. Whether it’s a fine Australian Shiraz or a a delightful Cab Sav, we are really big fans of a full-bodied drop, and here are eight essential tips for serving it properly:
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Know your labels
The first thing to do is check your labels: it will help you understand the blend, its alcohol content, where it was grown and its flavour profile, all of which is important to knowing which drop is perfect for you!
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Get in on the glass game
To fully optimise the flavour you must serve the wine in the perfect glass. For light-bodied blends it is always best to use a short wine glass as this provides a decent amount of air circulation. Full-bodied blends need their aromas to move and swirl, so it is best to use a larger glass.
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Serve in the correct manner
Red wine should always be served between 16 - 18 degrees Celsius. If your bottle is corked, you must use the correct opening technique (corkscrew included) to ensure the cork doesn’t flake off (or worse, fall!) into the bottle. Next, pour the red into a quality decanter and allow it to breathe for around half an hour before serving half a glass.
Tip: If you are decanter-less, you can simply pour it into the glass and leave for a while before serving.
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Hold the stem & not the glass
Wine is a sensitive beverage, and is highly susceptible to sudden changes in temperature, the likes of which can occur from holding the glass around its body. So be sure to hold the glass by the stem, with your index finger and thumb at the crease between the stem and the body - this will help retain its original flavour!
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Analyse the red’s texture
Next, observe the texture by tilting the glass. Have a look at any little drops that form around the side of the glass - the bolder the drops, the stronger the flavour and higher alcohol content.
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Take a whiff of the wine
Give the glass a little swirling treatment before putting your nose to the rim and taking in the wine’s complex aromas - you should be able to identify a few different scents depending on the wine’s complexity!
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Now you can taste it!
Oof, such effort just to enjoy a glass of Australian Shiraz, but trust us - it’s worth it! Take a sip and have a little swirl in your mouth to take on the wine’s flavour. Hold it there for some time before swallowing it and taking in its aftertaste. A good wine should spend some time on the palate even after swallowing.
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Be sure to pair properly
Obviously, different reds work better with different foods, so to get the full culinary experience you should aim to pair your wine with the best gastronomical accompaniments. Light reds work perfect with cheese, poultry and veggies, whilst full-bodied blends are perfect for red meat, pasta and cured meats.
Follow these simple tips to get the right time out of your red wine - it’s a surefire method that has served enthusiasts and connoisseurs for many a year!
