Etiquette Boss: Wine savvy

Red Wine Etiquette

Our last week’s focus on crystal wine glasses will be complemented by this week’s foray into serving wine. We have been told that red wine is best served at room temperature. However, the definition of “room temperature” in Europe, where these rules originated, was much cooler than our heated houses in the United States.

If a ‘room temperature’ bottle of red wine does not feel cool to the touch, it is best to place it in the refrigerator for half an hour before serving. This wine is immediately opened and allowed to “breathe” before guests arrive.

Allowing the wine to aerate helps to release the various flavors within the wine. Without going into the complex explanation of old and young wines, your wine will basically taste better when air molecules are allowed to mix with your red wine molecules before drinking.

If you do not want to decant the wine, a simple measure would be to pour and allow the glass to sit for a while before serving. Conversely, if you pour a glass of red wine and the taste is not as expected, it might taste better if you allow it to sit for a while, or pour it into another glass before drinking.

The aeration process is the reason for the wide rims and round bowls on red wine glasses. The smaller rim on the white wine glass, accompanied by the longer ‘bowl,’ is to restrict the air flow into the wine — the opposite of what is needed for the red wine. We do not want our white wines to go flat quickly.

BEAUTY TIPS: Turkey Neck Exercises

Sit or stand up straight. Look up to the ceiling and with your mouth closed, begin a chewing motion. Start chewing 10 times and gradually increase to 30 as you become more in tune with the movement.

Sit upright and roll your lips over your teeth. Open your mouth as wide as possible, then tilt your head back. Keep that position for 30 seconds and release. Repeat twice.

Place two index fingers inside the corners of the mouth and pull slightly toward while pulling the mouth in the opposite direction. This contraction helps to tone the mouth and under chin area.

Phillipa Morrish is the president of Etiquette Training International.