You might agree that it's common to see people opening wine in the wrong way, and without realizing it!
Today, let us show you a few tips on how to do a bottle perfectly. Let's see how we do it!
Firstly, wipe the wine bottle with a clean towel, as it may be dusty. There might as well be water droplets on the wine bottle if it has just been taken out of the wine cellar.
Present the bottle on the table with the label facing your guests.
Corkscrews from Laguiole, France, are among the best
Arm yourself with you favorite corkscrew. We’ll always recommend the "waiter's friend", small in size and practical, making it the most popular corkscrew among professional somme liers.
Use the corkscrew's knife to remove the aluminum foil, also known as the wine cap. Higher quality wines will usually have a thicker cap, made of tin or lead, which used to be the preferred material to prevent the cork from being chewed by animals or contaminated by bacteria in traditional underground cellars.
Hold the bottle in one hand, the knife in the other hand, and run it under the ring-like projection of the neck of the bottle (and not above!), half a turn clockwise in front, and then another half turn counterclockwise in the back.
Then make a cut upward with the tip of the knife perpendicular to the cut and pick up the bottle cap so that the cap is removed. You'll need a corkscrew with a good and sharp knife for these manipulations.
Cut the foil under the ring, not above
Be careful not to turn the bottle during the cutting process (the label always facing your guests), or to tear off the foil from the top of the ring, which is the wrong way to do it.
Aim the screw bar of the corkscrew at the center of the cork and push it in, then start screw it in. Be careful not to screw it in too deeply, leaving one to two rings of the screw bar outside the cork (this way you avoid piercing the other side of the cork).
Place the boot lever, hold the bottle in one hand, and slowly lift the handle upward, vertically as to avoid breaking the cork, with the other hand until the cork cannot move up.
Don’t let the screw go through the other side!
When the cork is about to be completely pulled out, stop lifting the handle. Hold the screw bar with your thumb and index and gently shake it to remove it.
You might smell the cork to start enjoying the aromas, then remove it from the screw and let your guests inspect it as well.
The final step is to wipe the mouth of the bottle with a towel to wipe off some wood chips or cork residue, which you don't want to fall into your glass.
Remember, like all precious things in life, a sense of ritual is important to appreciate them to the fullest! Open a bottle of wine elegantly and enjoy it with some delicious food!
Founded in 2018 by Matthieu Ventelon, Hedonia is the first institution in China combining professional Wine and Etiquette expertise in the same training offer.
Find more information on our website : http://en.hedonia.cn