WINEg u i d e

insiders

PETRONIUS SAYS,

“Wine is life,”and if you’re already a wine lover you

know exactly what he means. Wine

appeals to all the senses with its jewel-

like colors, complex aromas and flavors,

and sumptuous mouthfeel. It even

sounds beautiful as you pour it from

bottle to glass. And wine is both natural

and artistic.

IT ’S THE WONDROUS COMBINATION OF THE BESTTHE LAND YIELDS WITH THE WINEMAKER’S FINEST SKILLS.

Even if you’re new to wine,

you’ll find it easy to get started with

our wine basics. We’ve got everything you

need to know—from how to store and cellar wine bottles

to how much wine should be poured into each glass.

Qui� tipsHERE’S A SHORTLIST OF QUICK TIPS FOR GETTING

STARTED WITH WINE:

WHITE WINES TASTE BEST SLIGHTLY CHILLED—ABOUT 45 DEGREES—WHILE RED WINES SHOULD BE SERVED AT AROUND ROOM TEMPERATURE OR SLIGHTLY COOLER— ABOUT 55 TO 70 DEGREES. Some rules are meant to be broken. You may be

familiar with the “white wine with white meat/red

wine with red meat” dictum. It’s not a bad

general guide—the robust character of red wine

might overwhelm lightly baked chicken, while

the fresh, bright character of many white wines

would probably not be able to stand up to the

rich flavors of a heavy steak. However, if the

chicken has been prepared in a heavy cream

sauce, or roasted with hearty vegetables, then

it might be beautifully complemented by a bright red wine, such as Pinot Noir or

Shiraz. See our quick wine and food pairing guide for more suggestions!

STORE WINE BOTTLES ON THEIR SIDES TO KEEP THE CORKS FROM DRYING OUT. If a cork dries out, oxygen might get into the wine and cause it to spoil. Also, keep

stored wine away from light, heat, and vibration—a cool, dark, damp basement provides

the perfect wine storage environment.

How much wine �a� I order for my dinner party?ON E BOT TLE OF W IN E SERV ES T WO TO T HREE PEOPLE DR IN K ING RESPONSIBLY OV ER T HE COU RSE OF A T HREE-HOU R E V EN ING . I F W IN E W ILL B E T HE M A IN B E V ER AGE , PROV IDE ON E BOT TLE PER T WO PEOPLE . A 75 0 ML BOT TLE HOLDS A PPROX IM AT ELY F I V E SERV INGS .

PROTECT YOUR WINE IN TRANSIT! Whether you’ve just visited a winery and come away

with your favorite bottles or you’re packing up for a picnic at the beach, your wine

will need special protection as you transport it from one location to another. Wine

needs to be shielded from heat, or it can expand, leak and even push its cork

partway out of the bottle.

A good rule of thumb is to keep wine as comfortable as you are. That means keep it in

the car—rather than the trunk—to take advantage of air conditioning. Carrying

wines in an ice chest is an excellent option, and small ice chests easily fit the

back seat. If you didn’t expect to buy wine and have no ice chest on hand, even

wrapping the bottles in a blanket and stowing them out of the sunlight is a good

stop-gap solution until you reach your destination. Don’t forget to park in the

shade whenever possible!

Serving wine W HE T HER YOU A RE HOST ING A N IN T IM AT E , FORM A L D INNER PA R T Y O R A N I M PRO M PT U A F T ER-WO RK G AT H ER I N G , T H ES E S ERV I N G T I PS H EL P YO U PRES EN T A N D EN J OY A W I N E ’ S EL EG A N T ST Y L E .

WINE SERVING TEMPERATURES Just like beer tastes good cold, and coffee is usually

preferred hot (or iced), wines taste best when served at certain temperatures. White

wines, like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, taste better slightly chilled (about 45

degrees), but not too cold. When white wines are served at temperatures higher than

60 degrees they may taste too alcoholic; when served too cold, they lose some of

their complexity. Red wines, on the other hand, are most delicious when served at

room temperature or slightly cooler—55 to 70 degrees.

POURING WINE FOR GUESTS Removing the cork and pouring wine doesn’t have to be

intimidating or ceremonious—even if you find yourself performing in front of a watchful

audience. Be sure to use the small knife on the cork puller to cut off the cap’s foil, if

the bottle has foil. Then simply twist the worm (the pointed metal spiral) into the cork

and extract with gentle pressure. No need to smell the cork, but you might want to

examine it for any disintegration, which might indicate a problem with the wine. Most

corks remain intact, and problem wine is fairly rare. Next, stand to the right of your

guest and pour wine into his or her glass. You want the wine to reach the widest point

of the glass, which should mean that the glass is only 1/3 to 1/2 full. This gives wine the

largest possible surface area, allowing it to aerate and fully express its aromas.

DECANTING Consider decanting when serving red wines that have been

aged for 10 or more years. Many of these wines have accumulated

deposits as polymers have formed chains and settled to the bottom of the

bottle. This process smooths a wine’s tannins, enhancing harmony

among aromas, flavor, and structure. But the last thing you want is to

serve your guests the sediment. Decanting wine an hour or so before

serving gives the sediment a chance to resettle at the bottom of the

decanter, and pouring wine from the decanter—instead of the wine

bottle—allows you to see when the sediment approaches the glass neck,

preventing you from transferring the sediment to the wine glasses. And

while decanting also aerates a wine, accentuating its aromas, for many

wines a gentle swirl in the wine glass provides plenty of aeration.

Storing & ce�aring wine WHETHER YOU’RE STORING WINE F O R A F E W D AY S O R YO U WANT TO L AY DOW N YOU R M U LT I -V IN TAG E COLL ECT ION OF S T E R L I N G V I N E YA R D S T H R E E PA L M S M E R L O T, P R O P E R S T O R A G E A N D C E L L A R I N G I S K E Y. A FA N C Y B A S E M E N T L I N E D W I T H W I N E R A C K S O R A C O S T LY E L E C T R I C C O O L E R A R E U N N E C E S S A R Y. T H E S E H E L P F U L G U I D E L I N E S W I L L E N S U R E T H AT Y O U F U L LY E N J O Y Y O U R W I N E W H E N T H E T I M E C O M E S .

SHORT-TERM STORAGE Wine is a living thing, susceptible to heat, light,

and vibration. All of these things may initiate unpleasant chemical

changes in a wine, causing it to taste spoiled or “off.” Even if you’re

planning to enjoy your wine within a few days of its purchase, be sure to

keep it in a cool, damp, dark environment. Basements work well, as do

closet floors. You’ll also want to store wine bottles on their sides. This

prevents the cork from drying out and cracking, which can introduce

oxygen—causing oxidation—to the wine.

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LONG-TERM CELLARING If you’ve made a significant investment in red

wines that will age for more than five years— like Sterling Vineyards’

Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon—then you might want to consider

serious long-term storage arrangements. A wine rack or wine shelving

in your basement or cool crawlspace is a good bet. If you don’t have

a basement, wine coolers have become widely available for purchase.

These units range in size and feature temperature settings that give

you complete control over storage conditions. You’ll want to keep the

temperature between 50 and 65 degrees.

Gla�ware W H I L E WINE TASTES GOOD FROM A GREATVA R I E T Y O F G L A S S E S , Y O U ’ L L F I N D T H AT T H E A P P R O P R I AT E S T E M WA R E

C A N R E A L LY E N H A N C E A W I N E ’ S S P E C I A L P E R S O N A L I T Y.

COLOR Clear, untinted glasses allow

you to experience the beautiful

jewel-like tones of white and red

wines. In addition, they allow you to

observe a wine’s clarity and to make

sure the wine is sediment free.

SIZE The largest part of a wineglass

—called the bowl—marks the “fill

point” of the wine glass and provides

the optimum surface area. Tall, narrow Champagne flutes, for example,

allow only a very small surface area so that fewer bubbles escape and

the wine retains its effervescence. Balloon-style glasses, on the other

hand, allow wine maximum surface area so that its aromas take on their

full character in contact with the air.

Very generally, when enjoying a dry white or red wine, the glass should

be big enough to allow the swirling that releases the wine’s distinctive

aromas. Many people limit their stemware collection to white wine

glasses (smaller oblong goblets) and red wine glasses (larger). However,

fine crystal producers tailor styles of wine glasses to specific wine

varietals, so it’s possible to experience Cabernet Sauvignon from a red

Bordeaux glass and Pinot Noir from a Burgundy balloon glass. Fine

stemware is also very thin, allowing seamless delivery to the mouth.

STEM-LESS STEMWARE The relatively new

stem-less wine glasses have become very

popular options. Traditionally, holding a

wine glass by its stem keeps your hand

from heating up the bowl and the wine

inside—so it follows that with the stem-

less style, chilled wines may not hold their

temperature as long. Aside from that, the

stem-less “stemware” delivers all the

advantages of traditional wine glasses.

KEEP IT CLEAN Sparkling clear wine glasses add to the aesthetic

appeal of the moment. They should be neutral when it comes to

smell, too. Dust, storage odors (from the inside of the cabinet),

soap residue, or even fabric softener on a towel can interfere

with wine aromas and tastes. Take your cue from professional

sommeliers and inspect each glass, rinse if needed, then

polish, polish, polish ’til they shine before each use. When it

comes to washing up afterwards, many glasses can go in the

dishwasher as long as the water is soft and very hot. Soap is

not necessary in the dishwasher. If you prefer cleaning wine

glasses by hand, a hot water wash and rinse, followed by more

polishing with a soft, lint-free towel, is still the best way to

make them sparkle.

Polish, polish, polish

PLEASE ENJOY OUR WINES RESPONSIBLY.©2011 Sterling Vineyards, Calistoga, CA • www.SterlingVineyards.com

T he final word on wine° White wines: serve chilled—about 45 degrees.

° Red wines: served at room temperature or slightly cooler— about 55 to 70 degrees.

° Store wine bottles on their sides.

° One bottle of wine serves two to three people drinking responsibly over a three-hour evening.

° If wine is the main beverage, provide one bottle per two people.

° A 750ml bottle holds approximately five servings.

° Protect your wine in transit.

° When transporting, keep wine as comfortable as you are by parking in the shade whenever possible.

° To cut off a cap’s foil, use the small knife on the cork puller. Then twist the worm into the cork, extracting with gentle pressure.

° Examine the cork for disintegration.

° When serving, stand to your guest’s right side.

° Pouring wine to the widest point of his or her glass, 1/3 to 1/2 full, allows wine to aerate and fully express its aromas.

° Decanting wine prior to serving allows sediment to resettle.

° Proper storage and cellaring is key.

° Even short term, house wine in a cool, damp, dark environment.

° Target 50- to 65-degree storage for long-term cellaring.

° Appropriate stemware enhances a wine’s special personality.

° Stemware color and size selections impact the wine experience.

° Stem-less stemware is an option. Its only disadvantage is swifter warming of chilled wines.

° Cleaning and polishing practices impact the wine experience.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE F INE WINES OF STERLING VINEYARDS OR TO ORDER WINES FOR YOUR NEXT GATHERING, VISIT US AT W W W.STERL INGVINEYARDS.COM OR CALL 800.726.6136.

TO FULLY EXPERIENCE THE WINES OF STERLING VINEYARDS, VISIT US FOR A TOUR AND TASTING: 11 1 1 DUNAWEAL LANE, CALISTOGA, CA 94515.