Temperature

Wine temperature is very important because it can have an impact on smell and taste. If a wine is served at a wrong temperature, many aromas and flavors may be lost. Wine serving temperatures vary according to style and complexity, regardless of color. It is recommended that red wines be served at between 57ºF and 64ºF (14ºC and 18ºC); white wines, at between 46ºF and 54ºF (8ºC and 12ºC); and sparkling wines, at between 43ºF and 46ºF (6ºC and 8ºC).

Glasses

A tasting glass should meet certain requirements. Ideally, it should be made of crystal, have a foot or base to stand on, and a stem that we can use to hold the glass. We should never hold the glass by its bowl because, by doing so, we would transfer temperature to the wine. The widest part
of the bowl should be wider than the rim of the glass. Also, the glass should be tulip-shaped to concentrate aromas. The glass should be filled up to the widest part of its bowl.

Uncorking

Uncorking a bottle of wine is a simple action and we should only pay attention to some details.
First of all, we need a good corkscrew. There are many types, but the best is the waiter’s corkscrew because it is very practical, it is foldable and, generally, it includes a small blade to cut and remove the capsule.

To correctly uncork a bottle of wine, we should follow certain steps:

• Cut the capsule under the lip of the bottle.
• Always keep the bottle in a vertical position and do not turn it.
• Place the tip of the corkscrew against the center of the cork and start twisting the corkscrew clockwise without allowing it to push entirely through the cork. To avoid this, we will have to consider the possible length of the cork.
• Once the cork has been removed, clean the rim of the bottle with a clean cloth to remove any cork remnants.

Wine-serving etiquette

In the case of red wines, the glass should be filled up to the widest part of its bowl. In the case of white wines, it is advisable to pour a bit less than that amount to prevent the wine from increasing its temperature in the glass.
When serving wine, just like in the case of other beverages, we should hold the bottle in our right hand and the glass in our left hand, and we should stand on the right side of the taster.