Wine Faux Pas
A top 10 to avoid
- Swirling too hard. And spilling it all over.
- Putting ice cubes in your wine. Place the bottle in a bucket of ice or try liquid-filled stainless steel “ice-cubes” or even frozen red or green grapes—so as not to dilute your wine.
- Mispronouncing Meritage. To be correct, remember that it rhymes with heritage.
- Leaving newly purchased wine in your car on a hot, summer day. If it’s hot enough, the wine can boil, pop out the cork and oxidize.
- Forgetting the sparkling wine you were trying to chill down in the freezer until it explodes.
- Bringing a $10 bottle of wine to a wine exchange party that stipulates between $20 and $30.
- Serving red wine at room temperature. Contrary to popular thinking, red wine tastes best when slightly chilled—stick it in the fridge for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Filling your glass to the rim with a special wine that was meant to be shared among a group of friends. Remember, there are only four, 6 ounce glasses of wine per bottle.
- Topping off someone’s wine with a different and, perhaps, cheaper wine. Just because it’s the same color doesn’t mean the wine tastes the same or is of the same quality.
- Being a snob or know-it-all about wine. Keep your ears, mind and taste-buds open. Even Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “I am still learning.”
Bev Stenehjem is a wine columnist for South Valley Magazine and is the author of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley, Arcadia Publishing. Bev also promotes the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley association on Facebook and Twitter. Reach her at [email protected].
Latest posts by Bev Stenehjem (see all)
- Food at your front door – November 30, 2017
- Jammy Trio – November 8, 2017
- Dine-in bar – November 5, 2017
