The design of the champagne flute is meant to hold more of the carbonation in, while leaving no space to capture the aromas of the wine.  So with a cheap bubbly that tends to go flat quickly, the champagne flute will increase its longevity .  With high end sparklers, the carbonation is well integrated, so it won’t go flat quickly.

One of the best ways to judge the quality of a sparkling wine is to look at the bubbles.  High quality bubbly will have many tiny bubbles, which usually form many intricate streams in the glass.  It should have so many bubbles, you couldn’t possibly count them.  The cheap stuff has large bubbles, usually because the wine is artificially carbonated.

SPARKLING WINE SERVICE TIPS:

• Get the sparkling wine ice cold, as it will retain its carbonation better
• Remove the foil, and twist the cage free (usually 6 turns) so it’s loose.  But DON’T completely remove the cage
• Using a small towel, cover the cage and use it for grip
• Hold the bottle at a 45° angle, pointed away from anyone
• Gripping the towel and cage tightly, slowly twist the bottle, not the cork
• As the cork begins to push out, let it out slowly.  The goal is to release the cork with absolutely no pop, only a little “hiss”

Sake Types

There are many types of Sake, ranging from dry to sweet, and filtered to unfiltered.  Some are pure rice wine, and some have added distilled spirit.  The main factor in determining the different styles of Sake is how much of the rice grain is polished away.  Sake coming from highly polished rice grains is more expensive, and has a more delicate flavor.  Here’s the general rundown:

• Junmai-shu: this style is made from pure rice wine, with no distilled spirit added.  In the past, at least 30% of the rice grain had to be milled, or polished away.  But laws have changed recently, and do not require a specific amount of polishing.  The only requirement is that the producer indicate on the label the level of polish.
• Honjozo-shu: at least 30% of the rice grain must be milled away, and a small addition of distilled spirit is added.
• Ginjo-shu: at least 40% of the rice grain is polished away.  If the Sake is labeled only “Ginjo,” then distilled spirit has been added.  If it is labeled “Junmai Ginjo,” no distilled spirit has been added.
• Daiginjo-shu: at least 50% of the rice grain is polished away.  If the Sake is labeled only “Daiginjo,” then distilled spirit has been added.  If it is labeled “Junmai Daiginjo,” then no distilled spirit was added.
• Namazake: This is a designation for unpasteurized Sake, and Namazake Sake can fall into any of the four categories above.

Just to make things more confusing, the above designations do not necessarily mean the Sake will have a specific flavor profile.  The main factor in determining the flavor profile of a Sake is the water used, the brewing techniques, and the rice variety used.  So the best way to figure out what you like is to taste them all!  And don’t assume that the addition of distilled spirit makes the Sake stronger.  Usually it is added to smooth and lighten the flavor, while increasing fragrance.

Different levels of polish on Sake rice grains

Sake Etiquette

Now that we have the basic types of Sake outlined, time to drink away right?  Wrong!  Much like any other food or beverage steeped in centuries of tradition, there is a proper way to drink Sake.

• Hot vs. Cold: traditionally Sake was served heated.  Advances in brewing technology have lead to much more refined flavor profiles, so most quality Sakes should be served chilled, or at room temperature.  These days, only Sake of poor quality is heated, in order to remove impurities.  And warming quality Sake tends to mask the subtle nuances.
• Serving: this is where almost everyone gets it wrong.  You NEVER pour your own Sake.  Pour for all of your guests, and then let someone pour for you.  While someone is pouring you sake, you should hold the glass with both hands.  Traditionally, the glass should be lifted, held with one hand, and supporting the bottom with the other.  Sake glasses tend to be small, so they can be refilled often.  Depending upon the situation, you may or may not choose to serve Sake in a formal manner.

Consumption and Storage

• Drinking: Sake shouldn’t be drank in “shots” or “bombs.”  Even if you drink your Sake fast, don’t mix it with your favorite beer or energy drink.  Sake can oxidize quickly, so once a bottle is opened, it should be consumed within several hours for best flavor.
• Storage: just like wine, Sake needs proper storage.  Sake doesn’t have as long of a shelf life as wine, so it should be consumed quicker.  If you are storing Sake for any period of time, it should be stored in a cool, dry place away from light and odors.  There are some Sakes that can benefit from aging, but they are hard to come by (and very expensive).

Sake has become more mainstream in the past several years, and many restaurants feature Sake on their wine lists.  Be adventurous, and try different Sakes with foods other than sushi.  And just for fun, try a nice bottle of bubbly with your sushi next time.  It’s a match made in heaven!

Cabernet Sauvignon glass

I first started becoming aware of wine glass shape from Riedel, a popular producer of Austrian crystal.  They were the first to commercially release a line of stemware that had different shaped glasses for different grape varietals.  The basic concept is this: some grapes are fuller bodied than others, and have more pronounced aromas (such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon).  These grapes need a glass with a wider mouth, so the aromas can dissipate.  This allows you to pick up subtle nuances in a wine.

For wines with a lighter nose, you need to capture the aromas.  Stemware

Pinot Noir glass

for grapes like Pinot Noir have a thinner mouth, and a wider body.  Riedel has also accounted for where they want the wine to hit your palate.  The different curves of the stemware’s lip will place the wine in a specific spot in your mouth.  Many beer glasses are also available for specific types of beers, made with the same concepts in mind.

Don’t believe me?  Test it out for yourself.

I frequently get asked whether a wine should be decanted or not.  First, there are two main reasons to decant a wine:  to aerate the wine which releases flavors and aromas, and to remove the wine from its sediment.  So we typically decant young wines to help them “open up,” and older wines to remove the sediment.

Typically most bargain priced wines will not benefit from decanting, because they lack the structure and complexity to warrant it.  And believe it or not, some white wines should be decanted as well.  Many unfiltered white wines will develop tartrate crystals, often stuck to the cork.  These in no way harm the wine, in fact I like to see them.  It is a sign that the wine has been manipulated as little as possible by the winemaker.  However, it is nice to remove them from the wine so you can enjoy every last sip.  Some white wines are also complex enough to benefit from decanting.  Some examples include Viognier and Southern Rhone blends as well as Burgundian Chardonnay.

Decanting Tips

• If you are decanting a wine (red or white) in order to open it up, feel free to aggressively pour the wine into the decanter.  Swirling the filled decanter can also help open the wine.
• If you are decanting an older red wine, remove it from storage approximately 4 hours before you intend on serving it.  Handle the bottle carefully as you do not want to disturb the sediment.  Stand the bottle upright, and let it sit for several hours.  This will gradually bring the sediment down to the bottom of the bottle (also called the “punt”).  When decanting, slowly pour the wine, being careful not to disturb the sediment.  When you get towards the bottom of the bottle, pour extremely slow and stop once you almost reach the sediment.  One of the downfalls of serving old wine is you loose a small portion to the sediment.
• NEVER use a metal filter or cheesecloth while decanting.  Metal filters are not fine enough to remove the particulate, and cheesecloth can impart some funky flavors and cloudiness to the wine.  A steady hand and watchful eye can remove all sediment without the use of filters.
• Very young wines can benefit from spending several hours in the decanter.  Very old wines will often fade fast, so handle them with extra care and try not to disturb the older wines too much.  I recommend decanting the wine, and taking a small taste.  If it is too wound up and tight, let it decant longer, tasting the wine once per hour until it’s ready.