The Wine Blokes

Here’s an excerpt from the Sunday Times Wine Club members handbook -giving you a taste of the professional service offered to new members. Not only does this publication give helpful advice on serving wine and choosing corkscrews, but the Club itself has a dedicated Wine Advice telephone line and storage facilities for fine wines. Here are some tips on handling and serving wine:

Handling & Storing

• Don’t open bottles straight from delivery or after a journey - a long journey can make them appear “dumb”. After a few days’ rest, the wines’ flavours will be restored.
• Keep the bottles out of direct sunlight, ideally in the dark, away from vibration and at a constant temperature (above freezing an below 18°C).
• It’s ok to stand the bottles upright, but if you’re going to leave the bottle for any length of time (more than a month) lay the bottle down to keep the cork moist and the bottle airtight.

Corks & Corkscrews

How to choose a good corkscrew:

• Look for a comfortable grip
• Corkscrews which employ counter-pressure against the rim of the bottle are best for avoiding that undignified struggle with the bottle between your knees.
• Look for an open spiral with a clear line of sight up the middle, to grip as much of the cork as possible.

The folding ‘waiter’s friend‘ remains the most practical corkscrew of all. Alternatively, there are screwcaps which are increasingly used to great effect, especially for fresh whites. Various corkscrews available here.

Sediment

Sediment - whether it lies at the bottom of the bottle or attaches itself to the cork as crystals - is a good sign of naturalness and fullness. However, these crystalline bits are not pleasant to drink, so it’s often best to decant the liquid. To decant wines with ‘free’ sediment you need to be able to see when the wine ceases to be clear. To do this:

• Let the bottle stand upright for at least six hours, preferably 24, before decanting, so the solids settle at the bottom.
• Hold the open bottle up to the light as you decant and pour in one smooth flow until you see the dark swirl of sediment reach the bottle-neck.
• Stop and leave the rest of the liquid and bits in the bottle (these can be added for great effect to stews and soups!)

Why and When to Decant

• Decanting releases and maximises aromas and flavours in young wines -both red and a few whites.
• Decanting will help separate a wine from its sediment if this has developed in a bottle. To check for sediment, hold the bottle up to the light.
• Generall, the heavier and denser the red wine (the wine’s colour should help you judge this, the longer it will need to breathe.
• Crisp, dry whites should be poured straight from the bottle, while rich, oaky whites will become more complex if they are allowed to breathe.
• If a wine is already mature and its aroma obvious, let it breathe for just a short time or not at all.

Glasses

The shape of a wine glass has an enormous effect on how a wine tastes, so choose carefully.

• Clear glass is best for viewing hue and clarity, so avoid coloured, etched or cut glass.
• Tulip-shaped glasses are ideal for tasting and drinking. The wide bowl of the glass exposes a large surface area of wine to air, and helps to release volatile elements and aromas, while the narrow opening then funnels them up to your nose.
• Fill the glass just a third of the way up, so you have plenty of room to swirl the wine gently around. This also helps to aerate the wine.
• For Champagnes and other sparkling wines avoid the flat coupe and opt instead for tall, thin flutes. The aromas will be easier to appreciate and the wine’s natural effervescence will last far longer.