The Guide To Wine You Always Wanted

Here at The Bottle Club, we love good wine, and know how important it is to store and serve it correctly. If you want to enjoy your wine fully, it’s good to learn more about how to make the most of each bottle. Whether you need to know how to look after your wine, or how to serve it, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our ultimate guide to wine:

How many glasses of wine are in a bottle?

This really depends how big the glasses you pour are.

• If you like a large 250ml glass - and who doesn’t? - then a bottle will give you 3 glasses.
• If you prefer to opt for smaller glasses, a 175ml glass will give you just over 4 glasses of wine.
• A small 125ml glass will give you six glasses. No standard pour size exists, but as a general rule small glasses of 125mls are perfect for a dinner party.

The glasses you use can also make a difference to the taste of your wine. Wine glasses are meant to be shaped in a way that oxygenates the wine and concentrates the aromas from your glass.

How should I store wine?

Knowing how to store your wine before serving it can make a difference to your overall experience of the bottle. Each wine will have a different ideal temperature depending on what it is, but here’s a loose guide on how to store each type.

Sparkling

Sparkling wines like Prosecco, Champagne, Cava and Cremant should be stored in a chiller or fridge. Like all wine, sparkling wine should be kept out of direct sunlight. Any type of light exposure, especially sunlight can lead to the premature ageing of your wine.

HOW TO STORE SPARKLING AND SWEET WINES: 5˚C - 8˚C. AWARD WINNER

White

White wine needs to be kept cold to avoid oxidation and shouldn’t ever be kept in conditions above 24˚c. Be sure to keep your wine out of sunlight, and remember that most white wines will go off after 1-2 years. Fine wines are the exception to this rule and can last for years in a wine cellar.

HOW TO STORE ROSE WINE: 7˚C - 15˚C. BESTSELLER

Red

Red wine will be fine when stored in a cellar or cold space, but it’s ideal temperature is slightly cool for a light red and barely room temperature for a full bodied red. If you’re storing your red in a cool, dark space be sure to remember that humidity isn’t good for your wine. Humid conditions can cause mould in your bottle so try and keep the humidity level of your storage space below 70% to avoid such monstrosities.

HOW TO STORE RED WINE (FULL BODIED): 17˚C - 19˚C. OUR FAVOURITE

HOW TO STORE RED WINE (LIGHT & MEDIUM BODIED): 12˚C - 16˚C. TRENDING

 

Port Wine

Port should be treated as a fine wine and will live happily in a wine cellar or cupboard until it’s ready to be enjoyed. Ideally, port should be kept under 16˚C and where possible and shouldn’t be exposed to drastic changes in temperature as this can cause it to age quickly.

 

HOW TO STORE PORT WINE: 12˚C - 16˚C. HIDDEN GEM

What should I serve wine with?

Sparkling

Sparkling wine is a celebration essential and can stand alone as a show stopping treat, but what are the best dishes to serve it with? Sparkling wines taste great with nibbles before dinner, and depending on which type of sparkling wine you’re drinking can be paired perfectly with food.

For example the fruity flavours of champagne work brilliantly with light bites like smoked salmon blinis or triple cream cheeses like brie. Another surprising but fun pairing is shortbread cookies - the acidity of the champagne tackles the rich buttery taste of the cookie, making them a deliciously balanced combination. Prosecco also goes well with smoked salmon, as well as asparagus and antipasti.

White

White wine goes notoriously well with fish and chicken dishes, and makes the perfect accompaniment to hearty traditional meals as well as light healthy ones. Wines like Chardonnay are full bodied and work perfectly with a roast chicken or roasted salmon or trout. Alternatively, a Sauvignon Blanc works amazingly well with creamy blue cheese and goats cheese dishes and a Pinot will make the perfect partner with asian food - especially a rich and delicious hoisin duck.

Rose

Rose is the unsung hero of wine pairings. Often people rule it out as red and white have such amazing pairings, that rose is rarely thought of. However, Rose is a stunning summer wine and goes well with anything from salads, to barbeque food, to spicy food. Try a dry Rose, like a Zinfandel, with spicy foods like mildly spiced curries and rice dishes. A more sweet rose, like a bottle of Les Combelles Costieres de Nimes, will go brilliantly with barbeque food and many red meats.

Red

Everyone knows that a good bottle of red goes well with many meats, but red can be very versatile when it comes to food pairings. A Cabernet Sauvignon, with rich dark cherry flavours will go brilliantly with hearty dishes like roast beef or lamb. Alternatively, something like a Merlot which has lighter, ripe flavours will work with anything from chicken to shepherds pie. The mighty red is definitely not to be underestimated.

For more advice on how to cook with wine, take a look at our quick guide to cooking with Rose. And if you’re still looking for some inspiration for your festive bottle collection, enjoy a browse of our top offers.