If you have a meeting in a restaurant, you don’t need to worry about the intricacies of serving wines or strong alcohol, the waiter will take care of everything. Although, unfortunately, sometimes it is necessary to correct the waiter or even the sommelier on the contrary, because not all restaurants, even expensive ones, can afford to hire really qualified personnel. About cafes and bistros it’s even better not to remember. But if you yourself act as the owner, it is absolutely necessary to remember a number of simple rules for serving wine to the table:
- White wine is served in front of red. - Young wine is served before the old. - Table (natural) wine is served before strong (special) wine. If you pour wine into glasses, keep the following in mind. - A bottle is never taken by the neck - only by the lower part. - Pouring wine into a glass, you can not put the neck to the edge of the glass. - Glasses never fill to the brim, large glasses - only one third (if the capacity of the glass allows it), small glasses are filled half (or slightly less than half). - In order not to stain the tablecloth with red wine, the neck of the bottle is pre-wrapped with a napkin. - White wine, especially if it is champagne, is always served chilled, a bucket of ice water (not with ice!) Is placed not on the table, but on a special stand (a small table is suitable at home) next to the table.
Of great importance for the correct perception of the taste and aroma of the wine served on the table is its temperature. There is no need to adhere to the numbers below, but it is better to follow the following guidelines. - Sparkling wines (including champagne) - 7-9 ° C. - Table white wines (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet), as well as strong white wines (including port, madeira, nutmeg) - 12-14 ° С. - Table red wines or strong slightly extractive wines - 14-16 ° С. - Strong red wines of high density (Cahors) - 16-18 ° C. Following these simple recommendations will help you to establish yourself as a gracious host and will be a good occasion for guests to return to your cozy home more than once.