A glass of red wine.
There are several different tips and techniques for drinking red wine, although the best tips often depend on the circumstances the person finds themselves in. In general, though, red wine should be served in the right type of glass and served at the right temperature for maximum enjoyment. Ventilation must be allowed; this can be helped with gentle stirring and should be enjoyed by as many senses as possible during tasting. Someone who drinks red wine normally has to remember that the process is supposed to be fun.
Some wine enthusiasts claim that red wine should be served in a large oval or egg-shaped glass that tapers toward the top.
One of the most important tips for tasting red wine is for the drinker to take the time to taste it and not worry about what others might think. Tasting and drinking wine, red or white, should be a fun and enjoyable experience, not a test of cultural status. However, drinking red wine should normally begin with proper wine service to ensure that the flavors and aromas of the wine are as complete as possible.
Wine experts suggest serving red wine at room temperature.
The wine should be poured into a red wine glass, which is slightly shorter and rounder than a white wine glass, and served at room temperature. A red wine glass is shaped differently than a white wine glass to increase the amount of exposure the wine has to the air, which increases the aeration of the wine. Many wine experts also suggest that red wine should be served at “room temperature”, however this is quite vague. The ambient temperature in Arizona in the summer is very different from the ambient temperature in France in the winter. In general, “room temperature” means slightly cool, but not really cold and is closer to the temperature of a cellar or place where wine would be stored.
Many experts recommend shaking the wine before drinking it to promote aeration.
Before drinking the red wine, the drinker should gently stir the wine in the glass. This works with the natural shape of the glass to increase aeration in the wine, which causes more aromas to be released into the wine. After a few seconds of aeration, the drinker should sniff the wine, gently inhaling the aroma of the red wine. This is to help the drinker make sure there are no “strange” odors in the wine, such as vinegar or chemical odors, and start “drinking” through their senses.
The sense of smell is intimately linked to a person’s taste, so when smelling the wine, the taster begins to perceive the meaning of the wine. Once this is done, and there are no “strange” odors in the wine, the person must taste it. This should be a small tasting at first, and the taster should take time to let it sit on the tongue, feel the body of the wine, and appreciate any subtle flavor nuances. After this initial tasting, the drinker can enjoy whatever lasting “finish” the wine may have, and then continue drinking the red wine to enjoy it to the fullest.