Unit 4 of 26 · Online wine course

Serving Wine: Glasses, Decanting and Storing

Glasses, decanting, storing. 6 lessons · about 47 min

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The 6 lessons

  1. Why glass shape matters: bowl, rim and your nose

    A glass's bowl and rim steer how a wine's aromas gather and reach your nose, so the same wine can smell and taste different from one glass to another.

    You will be able to:

    • explain how a glass's shape changes what you taste
    • name a glass's bowl, headspace and rim and their jobs
    • match reds, whites and sparkling wine to the right glass
    about 8 min

  2. The glasses you actually need

    Two glasses cover almost every wine: one good all-purpose glass and one for bubbles. Here is what makes a glass good, and why you hold the stem and swirl.

    You will be able to:

    • choose the two glasses that cover almost every wine
    • spot the four signs of a good glass
    • explain why you hold the stem and swirl
    about 8 min

  3. Decanting: why, when and how to do it

    Decanting means pouring wine into another container for one of two reasons: to give a young, tannic red some air so it softens, or to leave an old red's gritty sediment behind.

    You will be able to:

    • soften a harsh young red by splashing it
    • pour an old red gently off its sediment
    • spot the wines that need no decanting
    about 8 min

  4. How much to pour, and in what order

    Pour about a third of a glass (roughly 150 ml) so the wine has room to swirl, and when tasting several, go from lighter to bolder so nothing gets overpowered.

    You will be able to:

    • pour about 150 ml, roughly a third of a glass
    • explain why empty space in the glass helps
    • order several wines from gentle to bold
    about 7 min

  5. Keeping an open bottle fresh for days

    Why air slowly tires an open wine, how a cork and the fridge buy you 3 to 5 days, which wines fade fastest, and how to keep bubbles fizzy.

    You will be able to:

    • keep an open still wine good for days
    • explain why air wears an open wine down
    • spot fragile wines and keep sparkling wine fizzy
    about 8 min

  6. Storing wine at home: cool, dark, still and soon

    Why wine fears heat, swings, light and shaking, where to keep bottles at home, why corks lie down, and why most wine is best opened soon.

    You will be able to:

    • name the four enemies of wine at home
    • choose a good spot and position for bottles
    • tell an everyday bottle from one worth keeping
    about 8 min

Related reading on Winelingo: Wine Serving Temperature Guide · How Long Does Open Wine Last?