10 Ways to Make Your Wine Taste Better: Part 2

Rosehill Wine Cellars tips to make your wine taste better.

Wine Tasting

At Rosehill Wine Cellars, we pride ourselves in assisting wine lovers with expert advice on wine storage needs.

Last week, we covered:

  • wine storage temperature
  • humidity
  • wine storage angles
  • vibration
  • lighting & darkness

If you missed Part 1 (tips #1 through #5), you can read the full entry here.

Now, let’s continue with tips 6-10!

Tip #6 – Ventilation

Proper ventilation is critical for long-term wine storage as it allows for sufficient air-flow to help eliminate odor build-up or mold, which can harm wine bottle corks and labels.

Many cellar cooling units are designed to provide optimal filtration and ventilation solutions for cellars of varying sizes.

View our selection of wine cellar cooling units to optimize your wine cellar environment.

 

Tip #7 – Ullage

Ullage refers to the unfilled air space at the top of a bottle of wine between the cork and the wine itself.

Typically, a short distance suggests a newer wine or that an older wine has been properly stored. A large ullage gap in the bottle suggests that the wine has potentially been spoiled and should probably not be consumed.

Tip #8 – Glass Shape

Wine glasses that have a deeper bowl and are tapered in toward the top are best for tasting your finest wines. Various glass factors will determine how the wine is poured into the mouth and hits the various areas of the tongue.

View our wide selection of stemware and wine glasses.

 

Tip #9 – Pouring Method

With the wine glass on the table, pour the wine directly into it toward the center, releasing the “bouquet”. Fill the glass to only about 1/4 full as this allows room for further aeration by swirling the wine, if desired.

Decanting wine is a preference, but should certainly be done with older reds that may contain sediments.

View our various lines of decanters.

 

Tip #10 – Let It Breathe

The purpose of letting wine breathe, or aerate, is to allow the wine to come in contact with the surrounding air helping to slightly warm it, causing the wine’s aromas to open up and be present. The flavor will tend to soften while the overall flavor characteristics will improve.

Red wines benefit most from breathing, however select whites will also improve with air exposure. In general, the more tannins in a wine, the more time it will need to breathe.