Wine drinking etiquette

The etiquette for wine tasting is not one strictly adhered to in India. After all till about a decade ago, wine was never served in middle class homes with meals. Even today wine is consumed more as a pre meal drink than with the meal itself. Considering that most Indians are now going abroad more often and are more likely to be faced with the drink on the dining table, it makes sense to know a bit more about how to drink it.

For starters there are three main types of wine. These are white wine, red wine and rosa wine. Depending on the meat that is being served the wine will be served. Usually red wine is served with red meat and white wine with white meat. In case you are unaware, red meat is usually animals and white meat is usually poultry and fish. So now that you have the right glass of wine next to your plate, how do you drink it?

A wine glass is usually one with a stem. This is where you must hold the glass from. If you cup the actual glass the heat from your fingers will warm the wine and change its taste. Yes, wines are very susceptible to temperatures. In fact if the temperature controls fail during the fermentation process you will get vinegar and not wine. That is another matter. Now get back to the wine drinking etiquette. Hold the glass from the stem.

Now swirl the drink in the glass. Make sure you don't get over enthusiastic and spill it. A wine needs to breathe and by swirling the glass you are adding air to it. Next take a whiff of the aroma emanating from the wine. Try and see if you can smell the undertones that the wine used during fermentation. Some spices or herbs or even fruit smells can be caught by a sensitive nose. Take time to savor the smell.

Now take a tiny sip from the glass and roll the wine on your tongue. Do not swallow it. Just let it rest on your taste buds. Try and savor the main and under tones that the wine has to offer. The sweetness and dryness of the wine can be experienced at this stage. Now you are free to actually take a full sip from the wine glass and enjoy the wine. Just make sure that you limit your intake if you are unused to alcohol.