10 Facts Every True Wine Lover Must Know
It’s no secret: we love wine at Luigi Bormioli, and our Italian glassmaking heritage has instilled in us a deep devotion to designing and crafting flawless vessels for your wine-drinking pleasure.
Because we know you love wine, too—and want to enjoy it to its fullest potential—we’re sharing our top tips for storing, serving and enjoying your favorite vintages. Cheers!
1. Drink what you like.
It really is that simple. Do whites go best with fish and poultry, and reds with meats? Probably—but if you feel like having bubbly, have it! If autumn brings Pinot Noir cravings to go with your root veggie main course, give in. Taste is incredibly personal, and there’s no wrong way to enjoy your favorite wines.
2. But know great pairings.
Never fear: if that one know-it-all friend is coming for dinner, you’ve got this. A light, dry, unoaked white (Sauvignon Blanc) is great with apps or the salad course. Fish, chicken, turkey and even pork go great with a more robust white, something that’s sat on oak for a bit (Chardonnay). A good, robust red is the best friend of steaks, roasts and filets (Cabernet), lamb (Merlot) or Italian dishes (Chianti). Tame spicy fare with something with a peppery finish (Shiraz). Toast dessert with a sweeter profile (Moscato, Riesling). Trust us: your friend will be impressed.
3. Store your cellar-wines with care.
You’ve made the investment in must-age bottles so you can select a classic vino for future special occasions. Keep your wine pristine by storing it away from light and at around 50 degrees in 60–70 percent humidity. Bottles should be at a slight tilt toward the neck to keep the cork moist and air out. If you don’t have a dry, cool basement nook, consider a wine refrigerator. Then experience the thrill of victory (“It’s perfect!”), not the agony of defeat (“It’s vinegar!”)
4. Serve at the right temp.
Your wine fridge will preserve your precious bottles. When it’s time to pull the cork, serving temperature is important. You may choose to decant (see #6), and that will certainly give reds the time to come to the desirable room temperature. If you’re not decanting, set your reds aside in a moderate room-temp area (not in the kitchen near the stove or oven). Your fabulous bottle of white should come out of the wine fridge just about right, but if you don’t have one, chill the white in your refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
5. But don’t be afraid to break convention.
We’re not talking about your friend who puts ice cubes in his wine. (Although if he must, you might want to suggest he use frozen grapes so the wine isn’t harshly diluted with melting ice.) Better yet, introduce that wayward friend to reds that can take a slight chill and are amazingly refreshing during warm weather. Light-bodied reds aged in stainless steel rule this category—think Pinot Noir, blends and table wines.
6. To decant or not to decant?
If you’ve got the time, decant. Decanting exposes wine to air, and in many cases that influx of oxygen improves the wine. Most of us have decanted an older wine to put sediment in its place. But consider decanting youngsters, too, especially reds with a high tannin profile. Decanting at least an hour will “open” the young red, offering complex aromas and deeper flavors.
7. The glass matters.
There’s a reason the bowl on your red wine glass is wider than the white and even more so than the Champagne flute: taste. A wider bowl brings more oxygen to the wine, diffusing the aroma and opening the taste—and that’s a good thing. Connoisseurs can find the right wine glass by varietal to enhance each grape’s nuance. Want to simplify? We’ve perfected a universal shape that skillfully combines a wide bowl with a narrow mouth.
8. A wine-tasting party doesn’t have to turn into a wine hangover.
It sounded like a great idea and a fun way to savor everyone’s must-try vino. But then you drank them all, and now you’ve got the day-after pounding head. Take our advice: it’s ok to sample, but treat it as a tasting, which is about one ounce of each wine. Make sure to drink lots of water (the golden rule is one glass of water for each glass of wine), eat a meal about an hour before you start sipping and snack throughout. And even though this hint should go without saying since you’re wine tasting, we’ll say it anyway: don’t mix wine with other libations like liquor or beer. Sample smart—salute!
9. Wine belongs at the game, too.
Tailgate with your favorite wine, but keep pesky bugs out of your glass with a cupcake liner. Yes, the humble cupcake liner, when flipped over, is a perfect fit over the mouth of your glass and a simple way to foil pests. And note we did say glass—no paper or plastic cups allowed. We make it easy, as our stemware is produced in SON.hyx: brilliant, clear, lead-free and designed to last for thousands of dishwasher cycles. Should there ever be chipping on the rim or foot or discoloration or cloudiness from automatic dishwashing, you’re covered. For 25 years. Go team!
10. You don’t have to break the bank to own great wine glasses.
And here’s where we shine: our stemware is elegance plus innovative technology. We combine a storied history of Italian craftsmanship with modern techniques for beauty and strength (see #9). There is a glass for every occasion that’s ultra-clear and brilliant, lead-free and eco-friendly—yet can handle the dishwasher. Best of all, our beautiful stemware is a worthwhile and affordable investment.
Luigi Bormioli, the designer label of glassmaking, is synonymous with Italian Lifestyle. Our proprietary glassware formulas allow for an exciting fusion of elegance and technology. Designed to enhance the tabletop and elevate the entertaining experience, these machine blown glasses are made in Italy, lead-free, durable, have laser cut fine rims, and will maintain their clarity after thousands of dishwashing cycles. You will enjoy their quality, brilliance, and strength for many years to come.