Holding a wine glass is not as simple as it seems. Over the years, movies, TV series, and photos have perpetuated the image of holding a glass incorrectly. Meanwhile, the issue of correctly holding a wine glass is not only the foundation of alcoholic savoir-vivre, but also a skill that will allow you to enjoy its full flavor bouquet and aroma. How do you properly hold a wine glass?
Preparing to serve wine
It is worth knowing how to hold a wine glass correctly, as these rules will allow you to perceive more aromatic and flavor notes with each sip. First, however, it must be served correctly.
The first step is to choose the right wine for the type of meal. The rules are not too complicated – it's important to remember that tasting begins with white and light wines, and ends with red and heavy ones. What dish a particular drink best pairs with is usually written on the label.
Red wine should be kept at room temperature, while white wine should be chilled to a maximum of 8°C. The bottle should be uncorked an hour before serving or gently poured into a decanter to allow the liquid to aerate and release all its aromas. This can be a special decanter for serving wine, but a glass wine carafe will also suffice.
The liquid should be served in wine glasses designed for its white or red version - they differ in the bulbousness of the bowl. They also have some common features – paying attention to them will allow, among other things, to understand how to hold a glass and how to taste this noble drink. These include: a wide, slightly rounded bowl that narrows gently or strongly towards the top, crystal glass, and a long stem.
Holding the bowl
The basic mistake made by most people is holding the glass with the entire hand around the bowl. This is the method of gripping it that has been perpetuated in popular culture. Meanwhile, the very construction of the glass practically dictates holding it by the long stem. Thanks to this, the liquid does not heat up and its aroma does not change.
It is worth remembering that prolonged holding of the bowl has a real impact on the taste of red wine. Its proper temperature is only 18°C – not much, compared to the normal human body temperature. Although this comparison seems amusing at first glance, after just a few minutes of holding the glass incorrectly, the liquid heats up from the warmth of the hand, and its properties change!
On the other hand, with white wines, which have been chilled to 8-10°C, contact of the vessel with the hands causes water vapor from the air to condense, and consequently, both the skin and the glass become wet! This leads directly to stains on the tablecloth or the glass slipping from the hand. How to hold a wine glass correctly to avoid this?
The stem is key
Holding the base of the bowl in your hands for a moment, for example, to move the glass or pass it to another person, is of course not wrong. Such brief contact will not change the wine's temperature. Some people tend to grip the bowl with their fingers from above. This method also will not affect the liquid's properties, as the hand is well above its level. However, it does leave unsightly fingerprints on the glass! This is only advisable when cleaning up after a gathering.
How to hold a wine glass correctly? Always by the stem. There are two ways: a simple one and one for the advanced. In the first case, you can do this by holding the stem in the middle between your index finger, middle finger, and thumb. The other two fingers remain loose. In the more difficult version, preferred by sommeliers, the round base of the glass (foot) is tucked between the little finger and ring finger underneath it, and the other fingers, also holding the stem, are above it.
In each of these methods, the glass can be maneuvered in many ways, for example, swirling the vessel to release the aroma bouquet or raising it to toast. The second method, however, requires a bit more practice. Held in both ways, the vessel should sit securely and safely in the hand without fear of spillage.
Holding the glass and tasting
How to hold a glass when drinking wine? Of course – by the stem as well! Initially, it may seem quite complicated – while it's easy to gently swirl the contents this way, it's harder to freely tilt the vessel to your mouth. With time, however, practice will come naturally. To prevent spilling liquid during tasting, fill the glass to a maximum of half, or ideally, to 1/3 of its height.
At the beginning of the tasting, just take a small sip and hold it in your mouth for several seconds until the taste of alcohol is no longer perceptible at all. Then, the first flavor notes will emerge. After swallowing the liquid, you can take another sip and then another – that's when the wine's taste will be fullest and bring the most pleasure!