Top 5 Wine Drinking Mistakes and How To Drink Like a Pro!
For some reason, drinking wine the “right” way can stress even the top-level professionals. There are so many rules, do’s, and dont’s to drinking wine it’s hard to know where to start and what some of the tried and true best practices are.
At the end of the bottle, if you enjoyed the wine you were drinking, these rules and common mistakes don’t even matter. But with that said, there are a couple of errors people can quickly correct before they even happen to make sure you are getting the most pleasure out of every ounce of wine in your glass!
Below, we look at the top five biggest mistakes and why/how you can change these to kick up your everyday wine drinking enjoyment!
#1 – Drinking at the Wrong Temperature – Knowing Your Wine Temps!
Temperature is one of the prominent influencers of wine flavors. It will kill the flavor if a wine is served too cold as cold suppresses its aroma. If a wine is served too warm, it will show the alcohol, oak, and any flawed aromas much more apparent.
The easy sort of rule here is the following. Have some fun with this too. It’s ok to chill a red for a little bit and see if it tastes better and fresher. It’s ok to let a white warm up a little and see more action on the nose and palate. Playing with temperature is the best way to know a wine’s sweet spot.
Hey, if you need to put an ice cube in the wine to make you happy, go for it! We recommended using filtered water ice cubes if possible, so any present minerally taste in the ice cubes doesn’t affect the flavors of the wine negatively.
Lower alcohol and lighter style wines served at a cooler temperature somewhere between 40° and 50°
Medium alcohol and medium-weight wines you can serve at 50° to 60°
Richer reds you can serve at 60° to 65°
Ultimate Wine Temperature Roadmap
Champagne and Bubbles – 40° – 45°
Light Whites and Rosé – Pinot Grigio – Sauvignon Blanc – Albariño 40° – 45°
Medium Whites – White Burgundy – Rhône White Wines – Viognier 45° – 50°
Rich Whites – Buttery Chardonnay 50°
Light Reds – Beaujolais, Village Red Burgundy – Dolcetto 50° – 55°
Medium Reds – Côtes du Rhône – Rioja Crianza – Cali Pinot Noir – Chianti Classico 55° – 60°
Rich Reds – Classified Bordeaux – Napa Cabernet/Merlot – Australian Shiraz 60° – 65°
Sweet White Wines – Sauternes, Late Harvest, and Icewine 40° – 45°
Port – 55° – 60°
#2 – Drinking from Crappy Glassware and Pouring Too Much Wine in the Glass
Two of the most common issues with enjoying wine to the fullest is using crappy glassware and pouring too much into the glass.
Using a nice wine glass and pouring just the right amount of wine is the way to go!
Glassware?
Does a particular shape of a wine glass make a difference? There is no science other than trying different wines in different glasses, but the jury is out. The answer is YES, it DOES! Most wine lovers use a glass that doesn’t allow their wine to ascend to its glory.
Pouring Too Much Wine?
Does the amount of wine poured into a glass make a difference? The answer is YES, it DOES! Most wine lovers pour too much! Too much wine in a glass won’t allow the aromas and bouquet to shine through.
Here are some of our observations and pro tips to game up your wine glasses and pour levels
Home Wine Drinking
For the home wine lover, purchase wine glasses that you feel can enhance your wine drinking experience. Don’t just settle for any old glass! A few considerations here include.
- How much do you want to spend?
- We recommend $5 for the bare minimum and up to $30 for something special for exceptional wines. We recommend a 16 – 20 ounce glass and only pour 4 ounces at a time for maximum enjoyment or aroma.
- How much storage do you have to keep them safe?
- Do you plan to hand wash or use a dishwasher?
- Are you prone to breaking things?
- Get the cheaper glass but find durable ones and at least 16 ounces!
Drinking Wine in Restaurants
The best restaurants with well-executed wine programs will go out of their way to make sure you have the best wine drinking experience possible. That means they will have nice crystal glassware that is thin enough and durable enough to take the wines they choose to the next level.
A serious restaurant will have a couple of different glasses on hand to ensure each wine is served correctly. This ensures that you get the best experience with any wine.
Note – Glass Half Full vs. Glass Half Empty: The higher the pour isn’t always, the better. A bigger glass for your wine by the glass often makes that wine taste better. It may look like less wine, but the wine in the glass will taste better, believe it! A smaller glass, although it seems like more wine is poured, actually crunches the wine’s flavor. You may think you are getting more, but often you are getting less because the wine can’t do its glorious thing.
Big 5 Wine Glasses You Need to Know!
Some of our favorite higher end wine glass companies include Riedel, Spieglau, Gabriel Glas, and Zalto
Champagne Flute
While not necessary in today’s wine world. The guest expects to have their bubbles poured into a flute. Most flutes hold between 5 and 7 ounces of bubbly. Most restaurants will pour a 5-ounce pour to the top to make the glass full. Today many restaurants prefer pouring bubbly wines in a larger glass that is 12 ounces so the bubbles can let the aromas sing. More and more Sommeliers and Wine Servers pour Champagne, especially for a bottle purchase into larger glassware.
AP (All-Purpose). White Wine, or Wine by the Glass
In the restaurant biz, the wineglass you receive when you order a glass of wine at the bar is called an AP or All-Purpose glass, which typically runs between 8 and 16 ounces. A restaurant pour will be between 5 and 6 ounces of wine. The idea here is to make the glass look MORE THAN HALF FULL. It looks great, yes, but it doesn’t allow the wine drinker much space to smell all the beautiful aromas present in the wine.
Burgundy or Pinot Noir Bowl
Is a big bowl-shaped glass generally used for lighter red wines such as Pinot Noir and Beaujolais and great for Barolo and Barbaresco. This glass is 20+ ounces and has a large bottom base with a tapered aperture to let the wine get a lot of oxygen, then taper into the rim to let all the bouquets shine bright. It is an excellent glass for home use as it does well with your favorite Chardonnays and Bubbly wines.
Bordeaux or Cabernet Glass
Is a tall, fairly straight-shaped glass that is 16 – 20+ ounces in volume. It serves Bordeaux wines that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Carmenere. This glass also makes wine made from Syrah, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah shine.
Dessert Glass/Port Glass
Is a small slightly tapered glass that is used for sweet wines. These glasses or usually 4-8 ounces with a 3 ounce pour. These glasses can be used for any fortified wine such as Sherry and Madeira in addition to Port and sweet wines. They also serve as a great glass for tasting spirits such as Tequila, Bourbon, and other Whiskey’s.
#3 – Wine Storage Temperature – Warm Bad – Cool Good!
One of the biggest mistakes you can make if you have a bunch of nice bottles of wine is to store them in a room or spot that is too warm or has a lot of sunlight shining the bottles. This may sound like simple science, but most everyday wine lovers make this mistake without knowing about it.
Sunlight and heat are a wine’s worst enemy and will cook your wines, making them taste “maderized,” an effect that makes them taste cooked like a grape becoming a raisin.
There’s a simple solution to this, storing your wines in a cool spot without sunlight on their side. A closet or a basement that you know is cool and dark is a start, but if you become serious, here are some suggestions to help store your wine for optimal pleasure.
- The cool dark spot in your house or apartment. Get a small wine rack and store wines on their side so the cork doesn’t dry out.
- Get a small wine cooling unit that will hold some of your favorite wines for those fun occasions.
- Keep your newly purchased whites and bubbles in the fridge when you bring them home.
#4 – Saving Wine an Opened Bottle of Wine Too Long – What to Do?
The time a bottle will last after opening depends on the quality of the wine. Higher quality wines from top vineyard sources and pedigree have a better chance at holding up a few days to a week once opened.
Most wine drinkers but wines to drink for that evening and often in the $10-20 range. These wines do precisely what they are supposed to do, be drunk within a day or two of being open.
Wines of more consequence, such as grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo (Barolo) with higher tannin and acidity, can often last a few days longer and will often be better the next day or two days later.
The Fridge is Your Friend
Whether it’s white or red or bubbles, always put the remaining wine in the bottle in the fridge. Keeping the wine cold slows down any oxidation that a bottle of wine may go through while you wait for the opportunity to pour the next glass.
Yes, you have permission to put that red in the fridge for a day or two. All you have to do is pull the bottle out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you are ready for glass, and you’re good to go. You can also pour the wine into a wine glass and let the glass do the work to get it up to temperature.
Pick Up Wine Preservation Device
The easiest thing is to pick up a Vacu-Vin wine preservation device from Amazon. It’s a simple pump system that takes the oxygen out of the bottle and allows the wine a few extra days without the possibility of too much oxidation, which is the wine’s worst friend. This device costs around $10 – 15 and will keep your wines tasting great for a long time!
#5 – Staying with the Same Old Wines – Mix it Up!
Yes, there is something to be said about comfort, but wine is one of the most pleasurable things we humans can interact with in the world! There are thousands of wines out there to try daily. But for some reason, many wine drinkers stick to the tried and true wines they know. Humans are generally curious beings, and wine is the one beverage you can explore the world with without leaving your home.
Yes, grapes like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc., Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon are on the tips of most wines drinkers’ tongues. And there are thousands of representations of these grapes to try from different countries, regions, and price points. Once you find a favorite, it’s pretty easy to find a different producer or region to try something similar to what you like.
Ask the Experts
Asking for advice may not be your strongest trait, but it’s essential to ask experts, whether in a wine shop or restaurant, for guidance in the wine game.
It’s simple to do too! Just tell them what wines you like best, what you want to spend on a bottle, and let them find some new wines for you to enjoy. It’s ok not to like something, but at the very least, you’ve tried something new and moved your sense of taste forward.
Some Examples of Popular Wines and Their Alternatives
If you like the following wines try one of these alternatives!
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is one of the most popular white wines and is often easy to drink because it is relatively neutral in flavor. In addition to Pinot Grigio, there are tons of great Italian white wines to try! If you like Pinot Grigio, try some fun alterative Italian white wines such as Arneis, Gavi di Gavi, Vermentino, or Falanghina.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc, especially from New Zealand, has caught on like wildfire. It’s citrusy, snappy, and herbaceous. If you dig Sauvignon Blanc you should check out a Verdejo Rueda or Albariño from Spain, or a Grüner Veltliner from Austria.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the most popular white wine variety. Most people know it as a rich and buttery wine, but in fact, many Chardonnay’s are made in a clean, crisp, and unoaked style. You can check out a California Viognier or Rhône Style White Blend for those who like the rich, creamy style.
Pinot Noir
Ever since the movie Sideways premiered in 2005, Pinot Noir has shot up into the ranks of most popular red wines. Pinot Noir is light-medium bodied with bright red fruits and often a touch of earthiness. Check out these lighter reds to mix it up. Beaujolais from France, Dolcetto from Piedmont Italy, or a Rioja Crianza from Spain.
Merlot
Merlot is the laid back easy, drinking red that everyone loves or should. Merlot is soft, fruity, and luscious. Fans of Merlot should look for wines like Barbera from Italy, Malbec from Argentina, and Carmenere from Chile to satisfy your Merlot cravings.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet is the king of red grapes, and for a good reason. It is one of the most complex and age-worthy wine grapes globally. Cabernet tends to be full-bodied, with firm tannins and juicy black fruits. If you want to change up your Cabernet game, try something like a Tannat from Uruguay, Red Blend from the Douro Valley in Portugal, or a Mourvedre from Southern Spain in Jumilla.
We hope this article was helpful to kicking your wine enjoyment up a notch! If you have any questions, please send them our way! Cheers!
This post contains affiliate links. This means we may earn a commission if you choose to purchase using my link. It’s okay – we love all of these glasses and companies, and you will too!
0 Comments