Remember, the ideal temperature range for wine is between 45° F and 65° F, with 55° F being generally accepted as the ideal temperature. While wine should stay at this ideal temperature, straying a few degrees from this comfortable medium will not necessarily damage your wine collection. How is this so? Well, different wines are best stored at different temperature ranges. Red wines like cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, and syrah are at their best between 55° F and 65° F. Lighter reds like pinot noir, tempranillo, and sangiovese are optimal between 50° F and 60° F. Fuller-bodied whites and dessert wines like riesling and chardonnay are served beautifully between 45° F and 55° F. Therefore, while it is not suggested that you store your wines outside of those ranges, a slight temperature difference around 55° F will not affect the integrity of your prized wine.
Wine Tasting Supplies
Glassware. You'll need at least one Bordeaux glass for each person at the party. Some experts advise two, so guests can taste and compare two wines simultaneously.
Notebooks and pencils. Encourage your guests to take notes as they taste, so they can remember which wines they liked and seek them out later.
"Spit" or "dump" buckets. You don't want anyone to get too tipsy at your wine tasting party. Make sure you have receptacles that people can spit or dump excess wine into.
Palate cleansers. Make sure to stock up on and set out water crackers or loaves of plain bread so people can cleanse their palates in between tastes.
Water. Always a good idea for people to stay hydrated while they're tasting wine. It serves as a palate cleanser as well.
Wine Tasting Etiquette
When you serve the wines, start with the lightest and work your way down to the darkest and boldest. If you have anything bubbly, serve that first; then light whites, rich whites, rosé, light red, bold red, and finally dessert wines. Sparkling wines should be served at 40-45 degrees, whites at 40-50 degrees, and reds at 55-65 degrees. For best results, put the reds into the refrigerator thiry minutes before guests arrive, and take rosés and whites out of the fridge a few minutes before opening them.
Serve the guests in the proper order: ladies first, then the oldest man to the youngest.
Have your guests hold their glasses up to the light (having a big blank piece of white paper or posterboard to hold the glass up against helps as well). Examine the wine's opacity and color. Tell your guests to swirl the glass to release the aroma. Have them stick their noses deeply into their glasses and take a good whiff, assessing the aroma. And then have your guests sip the wine and hold it in their mouths to completely assess its flavors.
