WINE WISDOM

Keeping a wine. Before putting it away in your cellar, make sure it is a wine that will actually improve with age. Not all wines are crafted to keep for a long time. Ask your local wine merchant.

Temperature matters. White wines can be served quite cool 50º-55º, but if they are too cold, the aroma does not come through as well. A great old red does well around 65º, and younger lighter reds are ideal around 60º.

Nix the vinegar. When you are having a nice wine, avoid vinegar based salad dressings, they will ruin your flavor experience of the wine.

Mix the vinegar. If you have leftovers in a bottle of wine that you are not going to drink, don't throw it out. Leave it be for a week, and voila - you'll have great vinegar for your next salad dressing.

To sulfite or not to sulfite. There is enough controversy about this one. Sulfites do occur naturally on grape skins. Sulfur dioxide is added to some wines to prevent bacteria growth and premature fermentation. The cheaper the wine, the more likely it is to have added sulfites.

Don't let it pop. To open a bottle of sparkling wine, take the foil off, untwist the wire cage and put your hand around the neck of the bottle and the cork. Keep your thumb over the cork to prevent it from flying out. Keep the bottle at a 45 degree angle and slowly twist it with your other hand, while keeping your hand on the neck. The correctly opened bottle will let out a soft "pffft".

Get the taste right. When first tasting a wine, clear your palate with water or some bread. Let it swirl around the glass to get some air. Take a deep breath in the glass and then a sip. Slurp in some air with the wine to better get the aroma. Let it circulate in your mouth before swallowing. This way you encounter most of the flavors in the wine.