Cheers to Good Wine
JAY REMER
The etiquette guy
Published Saturday November 29, 2008

I have studied wine for many years. The protocols for wine selection, pouring, tasting and pairing with various foods are complex. I chose to discuss wine this week because in today's paper Craig Pinhey has chosen his favourite wines for sale in the province. The special section, titled Top 100 Good Drink Picks, is informative and worth saving as a source of reference.

I was introduced to wine when I was quite young. At a special family dinner, my mother gave me a modest amount of red wine diluted with water. The idea of actually drinking wine was more exciting then than its taste.

Over the years I have learned to enjoy various wines. The selection was limited years ago, when the global wine industry had not reached North America. We focused on hard liquor, beer, domestic wins and a few overseas varieties. The idea of growing domestic grapes for wine was not pursued with the enthusiasm it is now. As I think of the choices we had - Cold Duck, Mateus Rosé and Gallo - I am grateful the culture of growing grapes and making wine has taken a quantum leap.

Wine is now made all over the world. Wines of exceptional quality in every price range are available locally.

People in New Brunswick are interested in wine. This was evident at Indulge, a festival held last month in St. Andrews. I was pouring wine at one of the venues and more than 200 people came through the line, many taking notes. They discusses the differences between the wines I poured and those from the other venues. In all, there were probably more than 50 wines available for tasting - and all of them are sold at the St. Andrews liquor store.

A glass of wine served with cheese and crackers brings people together in a comfortable, familiar setting. Wine is an easy topic for discussion that allows each person to express or suggest something about it. It is a way to sit and relax and simply enjoy the moment.

Selecting a wine to go with a particular meal, to give as a gift, or to just enjoy sipping while watching the Grey Cup need not be a daunting task. Seek out advice about selecting wine. Craig's picks will likely have some helpful tasting notes.

Employees at NB Liquor can be helpful and they will let you know if they can't help you. There is usually helpful information printed on the wine label, as well.

There are a few tips for giving wine as a host or hostess gift. First of all, do not expect the recipient to serve it at the meal he or she is serving. Most likely they have already made their selections. They will be happy, however, to put it away for future use.

If possible, find out what kinds of wines your host enjoys. If, for example, they like Pinot Noir, choose one in the $15 to $25 range and you will most likely be successful. For the most part, you get what you pay for.

If you are looking to give a special bottle for a celebration such as a birthday or anniversary, you might select a more expensive wine. Wine accessories such as cork screws, decanters and wine glasses are equally fun to give. The other option is a gift certificate sold at NB Liquor, though this is less personal.

In many cases, people bring wine to drink with their meal. This custom is prevalent in St. Andrews. In that case, the wine you are bringing isn't a gift.

In terms of serving wine with a meal, if it is white, make sure it is properly chilled well in advance. To keep it cool, use a wine bucket filled halfway with ice and then filled with water just to cover the ice. This is a fast way to chill wine that has not been refrigerated.

If you are serving red, uncork the bottles at least two hours before serving. Fuller-bodied reds such as Shiraz or Barolo need to be fully decanted to realize their optimal taste. To do this, quickly pour the wine into a glass decanter to expose it to as much air as possible.

If you will be serving more than one wine at a meal, a fresh glass should be used for each new wine. Wine glasses properly arranged on a formal dining table are very elegant. They should be placed from right to left in the order in which they are served. If you will be serving water, the water goblet is placed directly above the dinner knife, with the wine glasses descending to the right.

There are other questions that will arise when setting holiday tables. Please feel free to email your questions, I will answer you quickly. And I may incorporate my answers into future columns. A votre santé!

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.