Spanish Vines

1. How do I hold my wine glass?

The proper way to hold any style of wine glass is by the stem. This keeps fingerprints off the bowl and keeps your hand from heating the wine.

2. Why do we swirl wine?

Swirling the wine serves many purposes, but visually it allows you to observe the body of the wine. “Good legs” may indicate a thicker body and a higher alcohol content and/or sweetness level. It also exposes the wine to more oxygen, which encourages the release of the fragrances within the wine. This may take a bit if practice, don’t be embarrassed if you spill a little wine the first time you try this!

3. How do I know if a wine is good or not?

The definition of a good wine is one that you enjoy. Do not let others dictate taste to you!

4. Should I clean glasses with cleanser after I use it?

Yes, you need to clean your glasses, but before you clean it make sure you don’t use too much cleanser. If your glass is too slippery, you may not see wine tears.

5. Why do people keep hanging their wine glass upside down?

After you wash glasses, try to hanging upside down. That’s the best way avoiding from dust and smell of cupboard.

6. Can I eat salted food or spicy food before wine?

If you really want to eat something before wine dirking, unsalted water crackers or unflavored French bread are good. Salted food or spicy food are not recommended before drinking, because you cannot taste wine well.

7. Which wine do I drink first? Red or White wine?

White wine is recommended first, because white wine digests faster. Red wine has more tannin and polyphonol, so it takes longer to be absorbed.

8. Any health benefit by drinking wine?

Now there are some intriguing medical studies that say there may be some truth to the folklore that, in small amounts, red wine can help us improve our mental skills and access intellectual thought. The most enthusiastic wine supporters are cardiologists. They believe that wine can play a positive role in maintaining good health and a good diet.

9. Why can’t women drink as much as men?

The answer is not just because women have a lower body weight! Women have only half as much of the enzyme that metabolizes alcohol in their stomach lining as men. That’s why it may take only one oversized glass to make you intoxicated!

10. How about Calories and Carbohydrates in wine?

Tequila, Rum, Vodka, gin and brandy contain no carbohydrates; however, none of these drinks offer health benefits of red wines. And, since most red wines are dry with very little sugar left after fermentation, red wines are naturally low in carbs.

11. What is Moderation?

In the US, drinking in moderation means one glass for women, and one to two glasses for men.

The definition of moderation is different in the United Kingdom and European Union, however. The “sensible limits” in the UK and EU are two to three glasses of red wine per day for women and three to four glasses for men.

There are hundreds of styles of wine glasses designed for different purposes and types of wine. But for most wine drinking and wine tasting a few key characteristics can make your choice of wine glasses easy. Here are a few guidelines to help you choose wine glasses.
Steps:

1. Select a balloon shaped wine glass to allow the wine to promote better flavor and to allow the wine to develop its full bouquet. Wine needs room to breathe.
2. Choose either crystal or glass wine glasses. Crystal glasses require a bit more care and are delicate. Wine glasses made from glass can be washed in the dishwasher and provide easy care.
3. Determine both the type of wine you wish to serve as well as the type of service setting. For example, are you serving red or white wine? Is it a full-bodied wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a lighter, fruitier wine? Also, are you looking for glasses to serve wine to accompany a dinner or just for tasting wine at a wine tasting party?
4. Select a tulip shaped champagne glass for the best flavor and aroma while drinking champagne. The old-fashioned wide champagne glass will work in a pinch, but the tulip shaped glass is preferred.

Tips:

• Generally, more full-bodied wines work best in slightly larger glasses while lighter, fruitier wines can do well in smaller glasses. Also as a generalization, red wine is typically served in slightly larger glasses than white wines.
• While you can find good deals on stemware on the internet through various companies, it is best to see the glasses firsthand to really appreciate their clarity, size and how they feel in your hand.
• For serving fine wines, choose glasses that are clear in color and do not have any painted or etched decorations. While colored glass and decorations may make the glass pretty to look at, it detracts from the appreciation of the wine inside, particularly for wine tastings.
• If you are serving wine at a dinner, choose wine glasses that are slightly larger so that it can accommodate larger pours, around 4 to 6 oz each, while still having ample empty space in the bowl.
• If you are serving wine at a wine tasting event, particularly if many wines will be served at one time and over the course of the evening, smaller tasting glasses are often optimal. They are easier to clean and you can fit more in front of each guest on the table. Also, tasting pours tend to be smaller so that each wine can make it around to each guest and so that each guest can drink more wines without getting too tipsy. A small pour in a very large glass can get lost and be hard to assess.
• Most fine wine shops, beverage stores and kitchen supply shops have a wide selection of wine glasses. Shop around and ask for help.
• For fine crystal wine glasses, some companies release factory seconds which have some small imperfection in the glass. While some of these are not desirable, some are minor and purely cosmetic. The glasses will serve perfectly well for serving and tasting wine. They are a good option for those trying to save money. Again, it is best to assess these in person before buying to be sure the quality is adequate.
• Again, whatever you choose, avoid glasses that flare outward at the top as these make assessing a fine wine almost impossible. Also avoid very small glasses