Father’s Day is this Sunday and if you are looking for something fun to do with your dad, your husband or someone you love, how about hosting a wine tasting in your own backyard? Today, I’m sharing some tips from Samantha Stiewig, Tasting Ambassador at Grape Creek Vineyard, on how you can creatively celebrate dad and answer some commonly asked questions about wine. Of course, this info is for the adult kids in the family, as well as mom, who wants to make the day celebratory.
I have taken a few commonly asked questions and asked Samantha for her professional feedback. Here are her answers.
What is the reason for swirling wine in your glass?
Swirling the wine releases the aroma and activates the esters, the naturally occurring essential oils found in the wine.
What are wine legs and what do they indicate?
The wine legs are the streaks that form on the inside of a wine glass. Hold the wine at an angle and allow the wine to travel up to one side of the glass, carefully creating the “legs “. More legs usually indicate higher alcohol content. It will give you a warming sensation as it travels down the back of your throat.
What are tannins?
Tannins are stems, seeds and skin of the grapes. Red wine has more tannin than white typically.
How long can I keep a bottle of wine once it’s been opened?
Wine will stay aromatic and continue to open up for only a few days. After that I would recommend leaving it in your refrigerator to use for cooking.
Does everyone need to invest in a wine aerator?
Wine is living and breathing, which is why we use cork because it allows small amounts of oxygen to feed and keep the wine alive. When the bottle is opened, it needs to take a deep breath, which the aerators allow. You can also leave the bottle open for an hour for the same effect.
How do you properly hold a glass of red wine vs. a glass of white wine?
Wine should always be held by the stem of the glass. This prevents the heat from your hand to warm the glass as we already have enough heat in Texas!
Why is white wine served chilled and red wine room temp?
White wine is fermented and aged at 40 degrees to allow the beautiful fruit and subtle notes to come forward, so serving it chilled has the same effect.
Room temperature here in Texas is much different than room temperature in Tuscany. If red wine will be served on Father’s Day this year, I recommend chilling your reds a bit before serving because if a red wine gets too warm, it’s simply too heavy.
What are some top food pairing tips for a casual Father’s Day menu?
An Italian meal – Super Tuscan wines or Chianti
Chicken – A light white wine such as Viognier or Pinot Grigio
BBQ ribs – A rich, smoky Cabernet Sauvignon
Tacos or Mexican food – A contrasting wine pairing with a lighter Rhône Valley GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre)
Salad – Ice cold dry Rose
Dessert – A sweet Port
Many thanks to Samantha and Grape Creek Vineyard for sharing their tips. See the video on SALiving for more info.
You may also like Mother’s Day 2020 Etiquette and Gift Ideas. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
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