To quote American novelist— Ernest Hemingway, “Wine … offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than possibly any other purely sensory thing which may be purchased.”

Wine is a sophisticated beverage that you don’t chug like a beer. Enjoying wine is synonymous with understanding the art of drinking. With this reputation of sophistication attached to it, many are known to be scared to venture into the world of wine.

If you are a novice to this world, let us take you through a few wine etiquettes that you should know going forward.

Know Your Wine

You might be aware of the fact that most wines are made from grapes, but they aren’t the ones you find in a grocery store. It is made from fermented grapes. The juice is released from the grapes by pressing or macerating them, exposing the sugars to yeast until it ferments, and then it turns into wine. Red wine is made by soaking the juice with the skins (using black/red grapes), while white wines are usually made without grape skins. These wines are further classified on the grounds of taste, aroma, acidity, body, and sweetness. For instance, Chardonnay is the most popular white wine with flavors of apple, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors.

If you want to experience the rich mouthfeel harmonized by a lasting thread of bright acidity, you should try Frank Family Chardonnay.

Pick the Right Glass

You might have seen a variety of wine glasses in the market. If you thought that the shape of the glasses have nothing to do with the type of wine you are having, allow us to clear a few things. As bizarre as it may sound, but the shape of your wine glasses determines the taste of your drink. Wider glasses are used for red wines to let in more oxygen which in turn helps release the aromas of the wine.

The Art of Swirling and Slurping

Just as the shape of your wine is an important factor in determining the taste of the wine, swirling and slurping also increase the flow of oxygen, thereby enhancing its aroma. Believe it or not,  its taste is created through our nose and not our mouth. So when you swirl the wine before drinking it, you can better understand the complexity of its taste.

Temperature Matters

The temperature at which the wine is served directly impacts the flavors of the drink. Ask any wine connoisseur, and there’s nothing more blasphemous than serving wine at an inappropriate temperature. Red wine is best served chilled, approximately at temperatures between 60-68 degrees. So you can refrigerate your wine a few hours before serving. And since white wines have oaky notes and have more body, they should be served at a warmer temperature of 10-13 ̊ C (50 – 55 ̊ F) – just lightly chilled.

Whether you are a wine connoisseur or a novice, you can check out a wide variety of wines for every palette at Vinous Reverie.

Author’s Bio- The author is a wine merchant, and this article is about wine etiquettes for beginners.