List the most important places in your home where wine should never be stored.
- Kitchen, especially on top of the refrigerator
- In direct light (sunlight or bright artificial lights)
- Near a radiator or heating vent
- Bathroom
What happens to wine when it is stored improperly?
- Sparkling wines can lose their bubbles
- Wines can taste cooked (maderized)
- Wines can taste old/stale (oxidized)
Fill in the blank:
Bottles with cork enclosures should be stored on ______, while bottles with screw cap enclosures can be stored ______.
on their sides, standing up
If a bottle of wine with a cork enclosure is left to age standing up (instead of being on its side), what can happen to the cork and the wine?
- The cork will dry out and shrink allowing oxygen inside
- The oxidized wine will lack freshness and taste stale
The cork shrinks when the wine no longer comes into contact with it. This causes oxygen to seep inside the bottle and damage the wine.
This results in the wine losing its freshness and will taste stale, dull, and older than it should. The wine could also turn a brown-ish color from the oxygen exposure.
What is the optimal serving temperature for sweet wines?
Well chilled, 43º - 46ºF
(6º - 8ºC)
What is the optimal serving temperature for sparkling wines?
Well chilled, 43º - 50ºF
(6º - 10ºC)
What is the optimal serving temperature for light- to medium-bodied whites and rosés?
Chilled, 45º - 50ºF
(7º - 10ºC)
e.g. Albariño, Sancerre
What is the optimal serving temperature for medium- to full-bodied and oaked white wines?
Lightly chilled, 50º - 55ºF
(10º - 13ºC)
e.g. Sonoma Chardonnay, white Burgundy, Condrieu
What is the optimal serving temperature for light reds?
Lightly chilled or room temperature, 55º - 64°F
(13º - 18°C)
e.g. Beaujolais
What is the optimal serving temperature for medium- to full-bodied reds, oaked or unoaked?
Room temperature, 59º - 64ºF
(15º - 18ºC)
e.g. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, red Bordeaux
When chilling down a bottle of wine, is it best to use just ice or an ice bath?
It’s best to use an ice bath.
If it’s just ice, there are air pockets between the cubes and the bottle won’t chill well or evenly; if water is added, then the entire bottle surface is in contact with the cold bath.
What is the typical glass used for sparkling wines?
flutes or tulip-shaped glasses
Flute glasses are good for sparkling wines as they allow a continuous perlage and the small aperture helps focus gentle and subtle aromas.
What is the optimal glass size for whites and rosés?
medium-sized stemware
Medium-sized stemware is best for whites and rosés as the smaller size can capture and focus fresh fruit characteristics and delicate aromas.
What is the optimal glass size for red wines?
larger-sized stemware
Larger-sized stemware is best for red wines as the roomy globe allows for more of the wine to come in contact with air, and there is a larger surface area that can release aromatic molecules.
What is the optimal glass size for fortified wines?
small glass
(4-6oz capacity)
A small glass is best for fortified wines because of their high alcohol content. There should be enough space in the glass for sniffing and swirling.
Fill in the blank:
One of the best ways to extend a wine’s life after it has been opened is to put it in the ______.
fridge
Placing its original cork (or any cork) back into the neck of the bottle and keeping it in a cold, dark fridge will slow the aging/oxidizing process and prolong its life for a few days.
Name two wine preservation systems used to extend a wine’s life after it has been opened.
Vacuum system
- Removing air from the bottle with a pump and compatible rubber stopper
Blanket system (aka Inert Gas System)
- Nitrogen or Argon gas is pumped into the bottle creating a barrier between the remaining wine in the bottle and oxygen
Either can be used in addition to or instead of the fridge.
Why would you never apply direct heat to a wine to warm it up?
Heat can damage the wine’s flavors and aromatics.
If moving the wine from a cold cellar, it’s best to place the bottle on your kitchen counter for a few hours to bring it up to room temperature. Never apply direct heat to wine.
What are the 3 things to do to check the wine to make sure it’s ready for service?
- Appearance: is the wine hazy?
- Appearance: is there anything floating in it?
- Aroma: does it smell the way it should? Or, do you smell any faults (e.g. cork taint)?
Name 3 common wine faults.
- Cork taint
- Oxidation
- Heat damage
What causes cork taint and what does it smell like?
A chemical compound called TCA causes cork taint and it smells like musty, wet cardboard.
(TCA: Trichloroanisole)
A wine affected by cork taint will taste as though the fruit is hiding and the flavor has dulled.
What does an oxidized wine smell like and what happens to the appearance?
Can smell like bruised apple, almonds, honey and the wine looks darker than it should.
An oxidized wine’s aromas will vary depending on the amount of oxygen it has been exposed to, but it includes anything from slight loss of fruitiness to complete loss of fruit.
What does a wine smell like that’s been damaged by heat?
Old, dull, and stale, and will lack freshness and fruitiness.
When opening a bottle of still wine, how many times is the neck of the bottle wiped with a cloth?
twice
- First after the removal of the capsule
- Second after the cork has been removed
-
Tasting + Assessing Wine24
-
Wine and Food Pairing17
-
Storage, Service & Faults28
-
Grape Growing, Viticulture & Terminology53
-
Climate & Climatic Influences27
-
Winemaking: White, Red, Rosé & Sweet Wines63
-
GIs, Labeling Terms & Wine Law18
-
Pinot Noir31
-
Zinfandel/Primitivo12
-
Riesling42
-
Chenin Blanc17
-
Sémillon/Semillon18
-
Furmint12
-
Chardonnay51
-
Sauvignon Blanc32
-
Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio22
-
Aromatic Whites: Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Albariño16
-
Merlot28
-
Cabernet Sauvignon36
-
Syrah/Shiraz29
-
Gamay11
-
Grenache/Garnacha22
-
Tempranillo18
-
Carmenère, Malbec, Pinotage17
-
Important Italian White Grapes17
-
Nebbiolo, Barbera, Corvina20
-
Sangiovese, Montepulciano18
-
Sparkling Wines50
-
Fortified Wines: Port and Sherry42
