Wine Wise - Some tips wine serving

Wine wise

With some of the world’s finest and most sought-after wines being produced on South African soil, we can offer affordable locally produced vintages on a par with the best in the world. A few simple pointers will allow barmen and waiters to recommend and serve wine with flair, adding significant value to your operation and boosting the bottom line.

Buying wine

The Wine of Origin certification seal on the neck of the bottle indicates that the wine has been checked at each stage of its production – from vineyard to bottle – by an official from the Wine and Spirit Board. Buyers can be assured that the information on the label – such as the vintage, the area of origin and grape cultivar - is reliable and correct.

Bear in mind, though, that being uncertified does not necessarily make a wine inferior. It does mean, however, that the label will not contain as much accurate information about the contents as a certified wine.

Storing wine

Ideally, wine should be stored at a constant temperature of between 11°C and 18°C, out of bright light and in a place free from vibration.

A constant temperature is more important than a low temperature, because big fluctuations in temperature cause the wine in the bottles to expand and contract, drawing oxygen past the cork and spoiling the wine.

Choosing wine glasses

• White wine glasses have a smaller oval-shaped bowl.
• Larger red wine glasses have a round bowl.
• Give preference to tall champagne flutes rather than champagne saucers, which allow the bubbles to escape too quickly.
• It is always preferable to have both red and white wine glasses, but if budget constrains necessitates choosing one type of wine glass, opt for the red wine glass.

Storing wine glasses

• Wine glasses are best stored upright so no mouldy smell can develop due to trapped air. The ideal is a rack that suspends wine glasses upside down from their bases.
• Glasses must be kept sparkling clean and wiped before use – any residue can affect the taste of the wine.

Recommending wine

The best way to enjoy good wine is with good food. The old rule of “red wine with red meat and white wine with fish or poultry” is a good basic guide, but today’s consumer likes to experiment with new taste and flavour combinations, so there is no reason not to be adventurous.

Ideally, the food and wine should bring out the best flavours of the other, with neither dominating the taste nor detracting from the whole. A big, full-bodied red wine will overwhelm delicate fish, while a subtle dry white wine would be lost among the rich flavours of an oxtail casserole.

Some suggestions

• Serve an extra-dry white wine with oily fish.
• Dry whites will complement most poultry and pork dishes.
• Semi-dry and lightly sweet white wines pair well with spicy pork dishes, shell fish and spicy seafood.
• Sweet wines include Late Harvest, Special Late and Noble Late Harvest and are ideal with deserts.
• Pair textures – match light wine with light food, and rich wines with rich foods.
• Pair flavors - a spicy dish will overwhelm a light wine, so look for a rich, spicy wine to match.
• Pair like with like – for example, food acidity should be matched with wine acidity, and the sweetness of the wine should at least equal the sweetness of the food. A high-acid wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc, will brighten high-acid dishes such as salads with vinaigrette or tomato-based dishes.
• Balance opposites - a slighter sweeter wine will balance salty food.
• Sweeter, fruiter wines set off the flavours of oriental dishes and curries.
• Pinot Noir teams up perfectly with any red meat dish. A Shiraz or Pinotage works well with oven roasted lamb, while a Cabernet Savignon is often good with roast beef.
• Rosé wines are perfect for summer lunches.
• Informal meals, such as a spitbraai, demand informal wines, for example an old favourite such as Tassenberg.

Remember, there is not one right wine for any particular food - a well-made wine will enhance the appropriate food no matter what its ethnic origin. The objective is palate enjoyment - a fusion of two different taste experiences that creates a third which is greater than each individual taste.

Saying it the right way

• Cinsaut – sin-so
• Sauvignon Blanc – so-veen-yon blanh
• Pinot Noir – pee-no- nwah
• Merlot – mer-lo
• Blanc de Noir – blanh den nwah
• Semmillon – semi-yon
• Rosé – ro-zay
• Cabernet Saugivnon – ca-ber-nay so-veen-yon
• Chenin Blanc – shen-n blanh
• Pinotage – pin-no-tajh

Serving wine

• For a quick chill, iced water is best and will chill the wine within 10 minutes.
• Neatly removing the plastic, foil or tin capsule which hides the cork is as easy as taking a knife and slitting carefully around the top of the bottle, just above the ridge on the bottleneck.
• After removing the capsule, wipe carefully round the mouth of the bottle with a clean cloth.
• Use a corkscrew with a spiral wire, which winds itself around and inside the cork for a good grip.
• Serve wine in thin, clear glasses that shows off the colour. Wine glasses should have stems so they can be held without warming the wine.
• Allow the head of the table to taste the wine before pouring wine for the rest of the guests at the table.
• Pour red wine slowly to avoid bubbles.
• Don’t fill a red wine glass more than half way – the space above the wine captures the aroma and allows one to appreciate the flavours.
• Don’t overfill white wine or champagne glasses.
• Champagne bottles should be opened with a soft plop, not a bang that sends patrons scrambling to the floor.
• Tilt a flute glass slightly and pour champagne slowly down the inside of the glass to prevent a head of bubbles. Add strawberries for a colourful and fresh twist.

A few well selected wines, chosen to compliment your menu, could add a whole new dimension to your venue offering and add a lucrative additional income boost to your business. So, encourage your guests to experiment and drink a wine with which they are not familiar – they are usually pleasantly surprised.