Serving Wine

Traditionally the host serves the wine. Ladies are served first, starting with the ladies on the host’s right than those on his left. The first man to be served is the male guest seated on the hostess’s right. The host then continues clockwise round the table. Glasses should be filled halfway, to just above their widest point, never to the rim.

Glasses for white wine are smaller than those for red wine and Burgundy glasses are wider round the middle than claret glasses. Champagne is served in flutes. Did you know that there are nearly 40 different kinds of glasses depending on the grape variety and country of origin? All are designed to amplify the wine’s bouquet and flavour so that its subtleties can be fully appreciated. Above all, glasses should be made of thin, clear, smooth glass without a roll rim. Avoid tinted glasses that change the wine’s colour and ornamentation that masks its clarity.

Most of all, glasses must be clean, grease-free and scent-free. Wash them in hot water without any dishwashing liquid. For a clear shine, hold them over steam then dry them with a linen dish towel, holding glasses in both hands and not by the stem to avoid breakage.

• A white wine or rosé before a red wine.
• A dry wine before a mellow or sweet wine. 
• A light wine before a robust or potent wine.
• A fruity wine before a one with a strong bouquet.
• A chilled wine before one at room temperature.
• A simple wine before a complex wine.
• A young wine before an aged wine.
• A red wine may be served before a white wine if the latter is more complex or more robust.

Some people can’t seem to pour wine without spotting the tablecloth. The solution to the problem is both simple and elegant—use a silver collar that fits round the bottle’s neck or a thin sheet of metal, rolled and inserted in the bottle’s neck that you rinse after using. Did you know that these are made by a Quebecker who popularized them? Silver, pewter or cork bottle holders prevent unsightly rings on the tablecloth.

Young professionals prefer to hold the bottle by the bottom. However, you may hold it whichever way is most comfortable.

• Drink Pink
• Wine and Cheese Pairings
• Fruity and sweet - white wine
• Aromatic and mellow - white wine
• Fruity and vibrant - white wine
• Delicate and light - white wine
• Fruity and light - red wine
• Fruity and medium-bodied - red wine
• Aromatic and supple - red wine
• Aromatic and robust - red wine
• Choosing The Right Wine
• Answers to Some Wine Questions