A glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to virtually any meal. Whether it’s a rich red, a sparkling white, or even a cheeky rose, there’s a place for wine at every table. And yet, having a glass of wine at a restaurant always seems to taste better than having it at home. Part of that could be your selection – but even when you go out and buy the same bottle, it doesn’t taste as good.
It’s a problem most wine enthusiasts have, though these three hacks are about to revolutionize your world. They’ll teach you how to make wine taste better so you get the five-star restaurant experience at home.
Store Your Wine Properly
You store your wine at room temperature, don’t you? Most people do this because putting wine in the fridge seems strange, but did you know that wine stored at room temperature can age four times faster and lose a lot of its taste/quality?
Ideally, you need to store wine around 55°F (13°C) to preserve its flavor. You also want to avoid storing it in direct sunlight and ensure the humidity levels are around 60-70%. Yep, that’s a lot to think about, but the best way to solve all problems is with a wine cooler. Get a small one to keep your bottles in and it gives you a dedicated space to maintain the optimal conditions and experience better-tasting wine with every pour.
Aerate Before Sipping
Have you noticed how some wine lovers enjoy swirling their wine before taking a sip? They do this because they think it aerates the wine – and it sort of does. Aerating wine means you expose it to air and let oxygen break down some of the compounds inside it to unlock new levels of flavor.
Swirling barely does this – but if you get a wine aeration tool or system, then you’re on to a winner. These tools force more oxygen into the wine as it’s poured to give it the most amazing taste. You could also decant the wine before serving so it has more time to breathe. However you go about it, aerating is the easiest hack to make wine taste better at home.
Pair The Right Wine With The Right Foods
Wine always tastes better with food. It’s great to have at meals, but you should also consider eating a snack if you’re just sipping wine on the sofa at home. Often, the reason it tastes much better at restaurants is because the server will give wine recommendations based on the food pairings. You taste something nice, buy it to have at home, then drink it with completely the wrong foods!
It ruins the taste of your wine, so get to know the rules for wine food pairing before you buy your next bottle. Pick the right food to have with your wine and the two complement one another in a burst of flavor that’ll leave you gobsmacked.
Obviously, the quality of the wine you’re buying also plays a part in the overall taste experience. But even cheap wine can taste better when you follow the steps above. Give each one a try to totally transform your wine experience at home and get that restaurant feeling every time.