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CHAMBRER
The expression chambrer comes from chambre, the French for 'room'.
But please do not allow this lead you astray. A fine wine does need
a little time to take on the ideal drinking temperature 'in the
room'. However, our room temperatures nowadays are too warm for
most wines and they lose their bouquet, they become flat. The best
way to check is to use a wine thermometer: white wine should be
drunk at 9–12 degrees, red wine at 16–18 degrees and sparkling
wine and champagne at 8–10 degrees. The ideal method is to
open the wine one hour before serving.
IUNCORKING
It is no secret thatmonasteries not only promoted the well-being
of the soul but also of the body. The invention of the cork in the
bottle is attributed to Dom Pérignon, a monk well-versed
in cellar and wine-making matters. Uncorking nevertheless demands
a little care. First, cut off the upper part of the cap surrounding
the cork about 1 cm below the top to prevent the metal coming into
contact with the wine which could impair the bouquet. Subsequently,
clean the neck of the bottle with a cloth. Try a sip of wine yourself
first to check if it has a defect to avoid serving any unpleasant
flavours to your guests.
DECANTING
Wine is decanted for two reasons: firstly, an older wine is separated
from its sediment that has formed at the bottom of the bottle. And
secondly, a wine can unleash its full aroma in a carafe. It is important
to decant the wine very carefully, best of all using an intelligently
constructed decanting filter.
POURING
Copy how sommeliers do this: hold the glass so that it is slanting
slightly. Depending on the size, a goblet-shaped glass should only
be filled a quarter of the way up, a third at the most. Sparkling
wine and champagne glasses are only half-filled. Experts also recommend
serving the wine slightly cooler than its ideal temperature as it
will warm up. |
