May 22, 2012
Photo by Evan Janke
OK, this may seem obvious at first glance. But I do get many questions about pouring wine; the right glass, the right amount. The wine world can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. Here are a few quick tips that will make you a hosting pro.
#1: Get the right glasses
It can seem confusing at times to match wine glasses to different types of wine. A great starting point: a bigger glass is always the most versatile. If you would like to invest in some nice wine glasses, like a Reidel or Spiegelau, but you are on a budget or have limited storage space, go with a burgundy or an all-purpose glass. You can use that size for whites, reds and even…some champagne (you heard it here, folks).
My love for Amazon is immense (and totally dangerous)— how great it is that you can purchase a set of 4 crystal burgundy Spiegelau glasses for just $32 and free shipping??
This was a great wine we had recently for a special occasion.
#2: Get the right amount
I’m always astounded by how much wine people pour in their glasses. A good rule of thumb for pouring a glass of wine is to fill the glass a quarter to a third of the way full, which is about three to four ounces. I like to count to five in my head as I gently pour; this helps me get the right amount without being too geeky. A fun bit of trivia: a burgundy glass holds 24 ounces and a standard bottle of wine is 25 ounces. Actually, if you poured all of that wine in a crystal burgundy glass it would break. We have a joke in our house about “twelve o’ clocking” the bottle or turning it perpendicular to the glass so you get one “mutha” pour — yeah, you don’t want to do that!
Photo Erin Feinblatt
Let your guests discover and enjoy the various wines throughout the night. Pour the right amount and you won’t get them bombed on the first glass. Cheers!
