CORK

Sniffing the cork of an opened bottled of wine is a ritual that is unecessary. It won't tell you anything about the quality. You really should be sniffing the wine to ensure there aren't any defects, like oxidation.

After a bottle of wine has been opened, examine the cork to make sure it isn't falling apart or is dried out.

If the bottle of wine has been stored correctly, on its side or upside down, the cork should be moist.

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DECANTING

Wine that contains sediment should be decanted. To let the sediment fall to the bottom, the bottle should be stood upright for about 24 hours.

When decanting wine, light a candle and place behind the bottle. This helps you see when the sediment approaches the bottle neck. Plus, it's more romantic than turning on the lights.

Stop decanting your wines just as you begin to see sediment in the neck of the bottle. The left-over wine can be discarded with the bottle.

Older vintages of red wine from Bordeaux and Burgundy will likely contain sediment and require decanting.

Decant your older wines just before serving them. Older wines lose their flavor fast.

Decanting younger red wines for about 30 minutes helps to soften the tannin.

A good wine funnel is a useful device in decanting wines. Besides making it easier to pour into the decanter, many have a built-in filter to catch larger pieces of sediment.

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FRENCH WINE LABELS

Don't discount a French wine if the label designates a wine quality as VDQS or Vin de Pays instead of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. Many fine wines are made outside of these rigid regulations. They're also much cheaper in price.

LEFTOVER WINE

Oxygen is an enemy to leftover wine. Recork leftover wine with a Vacu-Vin reusable stopper, then use the Vacu-Vin pump to remove the oxygen. It's easy and affordable.

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MERITAGE

Don't discount the word Meritage on an American wine label. Many are quite excellent, and are labeled as such because they're made from a blend of grape varieties.

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OPENING SPARKLING WINE

The best way to open sparkling wine is to grasp the cork tightly and turn the bottle. This reduces the chance of breaking the cork.

"Popping" a sparkling wine cork is very dangerous. Rather, keep your hand on the cork and gently ease it out as you feel pressure begin to build.

Never point sparkling wine directly at anyone while opening.

A pair of sparkling wine pliers are useful when opening several bottles at once.

Chill sparkling wine well before opening. Warm sparkling wine is under greater pressure than well-chilled sparkling wine. Besides, it tastes better.

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SNIFFING WINE

Why bother sniffing wine before you taste? Because your nose is hundreds of times more sensitive than your taste buds and will tell you more about the flavor of a wine (or any potential defect) than by just drinking it.

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SPARKLING WINE FLUTES

Why is the flute preferred for tasting sparkling wines over regular wine glasses? The tall shape is meant to show off the color and bubbles in the wine!

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SPILLED RED WINE

Pour a generous amount of salt on the stain and pat it down. Leave for 10 minutes, then scrape away the salt and thoroughly blot with club soda. For carpeting, dry the area with a paper towel. For linens, wash while still damp.

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STORAGE

Wine should be stored away from heat, light and vibration. If you don't have a custom-made wine cellar, a cool, dark closet is a great place.

The ideal temperature to store wine is between 42 and 65° F. Warmer temperatures may accelerate the aging process.

Wine should be stored on its side or upside down so the corks stay moist.

About 75 to 80 percent of all wines sold do not require additional aging and are ready to drink now.

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TEMPERATURE

White wine served too cold loses its flavor.

An ice bucket filled with a mixture of half ice and half water will chill wine faster than ice alone.

White wine will reach its optimum serving temperature in about half an hour when chilled in a combination of ice and water.

White wine will reach its optimum serving temperature in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours when chilled in the refrigerator.

Red wine, if it is too cold from storage, can be warmed in a bucket of tepid water.

Never use a freezer to chill wine unless you like wine Slurpies. You may forget about it and the wine will freeze.

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WINE GLASSES

The best wine glasses will have a shape that narrows at the top. This allows the aromas of the wine to be trapped and funneled towards your nose for smelling.

Wine glasses that are colored or etched may be beautiful to look at, but they make judging the color of wine impossible. Plain wine glasses are best.

Dishwashing detergent will taint the taste of wine if your wine glass is not completely clean. So will stale odors if the glass is stored upside down, or cardboard, if stored in boxes.

If it's time for wine and you haven't used your wine glasses for a while, wash them to eliminate any accumulated dust.

Don't drink wine out of a plastic glass unless you like the taste of plastic. Same goes for styrofoam.

Wine glasses should be filled halfway or less. This allows you to swirl your wine and aids in the development of the bouquet. Plus, there's more room to stick your nose in the glass when you're smelling!

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WINE AND GRAPES

What they call White Burgundy in France is called Chardonnay anywhere else - same grapes.

What they call Red Burgundy in France is called Pinot Noir anywhere else - same grapes.

Red Bordeaux from France is made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, although some bottles may contain a blend of several red grape varieties.

White Bordeaux from France is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, sometimes blended with Semillon grapes.

If the Champagne says Blanc de Blanc on the label, it was made from Chardonnay grapes.

If the Champagne says Blanc de Noir on the label, it was made from Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier grapes.

Champagne labeled as "Brut" is drier than Champagne labeled as "Extra Dry"

Champagne labeled as "Demi-sec" is sweeter than Champagne labeled as "Sec"

Sec and demi-sec Champagne are good choices to serve with dessert and wedding cake.

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WINE PARTIES

When hosting a wine party, one bottle for every two guests should be enough. But there's no reason why you can't have more, especially if you want to try a variety of wines.

A .750 ml bottle of wine holds about four to five glasses.

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