Guide · serving
Temperature and glass — a free upgrade
The same bottle at the right temperature and from the right glass tastes noticeably better. It is the only place where flavour improves without paying more.
Temperatures
- Sparkling wine
- 6–8 °C
- Light white and rosé
- 8–10 °C
- Full-bodied white
- 10–12 °C
- Light red
- 12–14 °C
- Full-bodied red
- 16–18 °C
- Pale beer and cider
- 4–6 °C
- Dark and strong beer
- 8–12 °C
- Whisky, cognac, aged rum
- 18–20 °C
- Vodka and liqueur
- chilled, 4–6 °C
A fridge runs at about 4 °C. Red wine goes in for half an hour, white for two hours — that puts both in the right range.
Glassware
Four glasses cover every situation. You do not need more.
Larger for red, smaller for white. It also works for sparkling and cider — better than a narrow flute.
Whisky, cognac, aged rum. The narrowing rim gathers the aroma.
Long drinks over ice: gin and tonic, whisky on the rocks, rum and cola.
Vodka, herbal liqueur, chilled spirits. 30–50 ml at a time.
A narrowing rim holds the foam. Drinking from the bottle loses the aroma completely.
Ice and measures
More ice, not less
A glass full of ice melts more slowly than three cubes. Less ice means a more diluted drink.
A big cube for spirits
Small ice melts fast and drowns the flavour. One large cube is better.
Fill a glass one third
A wine glass is filled to a third — the space is for the aroma, not for thrift.
A cold glass for a cold drink
Rinse it in cold water or keep it in the fridge. Warm glass warms the drink in seconds.
Why glass shape matters
The tongue detects four or five things; everything else comes from smell. A narrowing rim concentrates the vapours under your nose, a wide one lets them scatter. That is why the same whisky is noticeably richer from a nosing glass than from a wide tumbler.
The other half is how fast it warms. A thin stem and thin glass hold the temperature; a palm wrapped around the bowl warms the drink within minutes.
Common questions
Is a wine glass suitable for sparkling wine?
Yes, and often better than a flute: the aroma comes through more clearly and the bubble lasts long enough.
Can beer be poured without foam?
It can, but it should not be. Foam holds the carbonation and the aroma in.
How big is a serving?
Spirits 30–50 ml, wine 120–150 ml, beer 330–500 ml. These are also the basis for counting units.
Does the shape of the ice matter?
It does: a large cube melts slowly and dilutes less. Crushed ice belongs only where dilution is wanted.