Five Ways To Use Wine This Season (& Any Time Of Year)!
As if it wasn't obvious that we do... Our entire painting concept is based around pairing wine and painting together! :)
There are tons of ways to enjoy wines and even the corks and bottles after every last drop is poured; With the holiday season among us, there's a lot of wine being enjoyed this time of year.
We've found some great ways for your to use wine this season, and anytime of year! From serving it, and giving it as gifts, to Upcycling bottles for some handmade gifts, wine is amazing.
Check out these ideas, try them this season, and enjoy!
1.—— Serving It
Whether it’s you and your spouse, or you’re serving wine to all of your dinner guests, there’s no need to be overly-fancy about it at all. Really if you want to set out a few varieties of reds, and some whites, letting everyone select their favorite and pour it into the same shape of glass that everyone has, it’ll work just fine!
If you’re interested in getting just a little more specific about your wine serving, as far as glass shape goes, we’re going to keep it simple: 3 styles of glasses, on for each: Red, White, and bubbly (like champagne).
- Red wine: Red wines are most commonly served in a larger bodied (or bulbous) wine glass, allowing for aeration (exposing the wine to air or giving it a chance to “breathe”) before drinking it. Many people even use an aerator when pouring, and a decanter to hold the wine, allowing the air to touch it, even more.
- White wine: You’ll see white wines served in a smaller bodied glass that serves to hold onto the aromas and provide less aeration for the various flavors in white wines.
**You can see the difference between the 2 shapes here, as well as buy some for yourself):
(This set of glasses includes 6 red, and 6 white): https://www....63448&sr=8-10
- Champagne: The skinny, tall glass that you’ll be handed when you order a champagne (or sparkling wine), is perfect for containing those little bubbles, keeping the fizz and flavor in place as long as possible.
*(Check out this set of 12 glasses, perfect for your holidays guests, especially if you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party): https://www....263606&sr=8-4
*** A proper glass will make any wine taste better
*** Wine tastes better served slightly cool
RED WINE: tastes better when served slightly below room temperature from 53 °F – 69 °F (light red wines like Pinot Noir taste better at the cooler end of the spectrum)
WHITE WINE: tastes great from about 44 °F – 57 °F. (zesty whites on the cool side and oak-aged whites on the warm side)
SPARKLING WINE:Affordable sparklers do great at 38 °F – 45 °F (serve high-quality Champagne and sparkling wines at white wine temperatures)
*** Pouring a Standard Wine Serving
A bottle of wine contains just over 25 ounces so it’s common to see it portioned out into five servings (5 oz/150 ml). Fortunately, there are many US restaurants that pour a generous 6 oz (180 ml) serving, which is a nice gesture when you’re paying by the glass.
Of course, most glasses hold much more. A typical red wine glass is about 17–25 oz. The space in the glass is designed to hold aromas, so try your best not to overfill.
*** How long does wine keep after opened?
Most wine won’t last through the night if the bottle is left open. Here are a few tips to preserve open wines for much longer:
*** Wine preservers are super helpful. Use them!
Store open wines in the fridge (or wine fridge if you have one!). This cold storage will slow down any development of the wine, keeping it fresh.
Keep wine away from direct sunlight and sources of heat (like above your fridge or oven.)
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2.—— Giving It As A Gift
* Go mid-range to high end. It's tempting to buy a cheap wine to give as a gift, particularly if you don't know much about wines. However, cheap wine will taste cheap. That's not to say that you can't get a decent wine for a reasonable price. You just don't want to pick the cheapest wine, especially if you've never tasted it yourself
* During the winter, you can go with heavier wines since you'll have heavier dishes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blend, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Malbec are fine in the reds. For whites, choose oaked Chardonnay. You can also go for a sparkly wine.
* Don't be afraid to pick something unusual. If you know your wines, a unique wine is a good choice because you can introduce your friend or friends to something new. However, don't pick something so obscure that they won't be able to find it again. You don't want to whet their appetite for a wine they can't buy.
* Know the person's tastes. If you're buying wine as a gift, it's best to know what the person likes to drink. Most wine drinkers have particular tastes, whether they like a dry white wine or a fun and fruity sparkling rose. Consider what you've seen the person drink in the past, and then go for something the same or similar.
* Pick a pretty label or bottle. Of course, you don't want to pick a wine solely on what the label looks like. However, when you're giving a wine, the packaging matters. A pretty, well-designed label will be more appreciated than a subdued, boring label, especially since many people will associate the latter with cheaper wine.
*8 Great Wines, All Under $30: https://driz...er-30-dollars
*34 Unique Gift Ideas For Wine Lovers: https://www....-wine-lovers/
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3.—— Turning It Into Art
*** Upcycling Wine Bottles:
Wine bottles come in all different shapes, sizes and hues, and those diverse qualities make them such versatile objects when it comes to upcycling or repurposing.
35 DIY Wine Bottle Crafts That'll Get You in the Upcycling Spirit
https://www....wine-bottles/
*** Upcycling Wine Corks
Most DIYer’s love wine cork crafts because they are some of the easiest and most fun DIY projects out there. We love the versatility of craft ideas that wine corks have inspired! There are tons of great ideas for wine cork crafts for kids, plenty of home decor ideas, and DIY projects for teens (and they’re DIY’s they’ll actually want to make and use). The kids will love to make some fun and crafty projects that would be perfect for them to give out to family, friends, and teachers as gifts!
30 Wine Cork Crafts and Creative Wine Cork Projects
https://fabu...-cork-crafts/
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4.—— Drinking Games
If festive drinking games aren’t a tradition with your group of family and friends, then 2019 is the year to introduce them! Not only are they excellent fun, they bring people together and make us all feel tingly and warm. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Of course, all fun should be had in moderation. Drink responsibly, folks, and keep each other safe.
So this season, when you gather around loved ones, grab a glass and get your game face on with these 10 festive drinking games – think all the freshers’ week classics with a tinsel-y twist.
https://metr...tmas-7012047/
https://spoo...rinking-games
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5.—— Pairing Wine With A Painting Class
Of course, this is our favorite way to drink wine; A 2-3 hour step-by-step class that you can enjoy with friends and family, making art, drinking wine, and having so much fun! Join us this season, or any time of year to bring out your inner-artist while making some great memories! Make art to keep for yourself and hang in your home, then make some more to give out as gifts this Christmas!
We have a great wine and beer menu, offering delicious selections; Be sure to look out for deals on drinks and class prices when you’re checking out out calendar! We’re always offering something great for our customers.