Online Wine Courses
Wine FAQs
Anything you've ever wanted to know about wine? Any wine facts you'd like to know? Now is your chance to ask!
Q: Is it true that you should only drink white wine with fish and chicken, and red wine with red meat?
A: This is a very general rule and not true in every case. It's the tannin in red wine which works well with red meat as it cuts through the protein and softens the wine. The flavours in many fish dishes will clash with the tannin in red wine, making the wine taste bitter and unpleasant. However, light red wines can go very well with meaty fish such as tuna steak.
Also note that when matching wine with food you should not necessarily match the wine to the main ingredient in the dish – instead you should match the wine to the dominant flavours in the dish. These are more likely to be found in the sauce or the herbs and spices used in cooking than the fish, poultry or meat itself.
More information on selecting wines with meals can be found in both our online wine courses. See Matching wine with food for more details about this module.
Q: What is a standard serving of wine?
A: For 'light' wines the measure in the UK is usually 175ml or 250ml. Sparkling wines are served in 125ml or 175ml measures. And fortified wines and dessert wines are served in 50ml, 100ml or 125ml measures.
More information about glass sizes, types and measures can be found in our 'Max Your Wine Sales' wine course. See Back bar design and merchandising for more details about this module.
Q: I always pop a spoon into an open bottle of champagne so it keeps its bubbles. Does this really work?
A: No, it doesn't! There is no scientific evidence that backs the theory that using a spoon can help to retain a wine's fizz. If you were to try ten bottles of bubbly – five with a spoon inside and five without, you'll get exactly the same amount of bubbles in each!
More information about preserving wine can be found in both our online wine courses. See Serving and preserving wine under the consumer course and Wine preservation under the trade course for more details about this module.
Q: What's the best way to open a bottle of sparkling wine?
A: Make sure the bottle is well chilled. This will make opening the bottle less explosive since carbon dioxide remains in solution at colder temperatures. Remove the top part of the foil and the metal clasp. Hold the bottle at an angle away from you and anybody else! Grip the cork firmly with one hand ensuring your thumb is positioned over the top of the cork in order to stop it exploding out and hurting someone. With the other hand, twist the bottom of the bottle carefully easing the cork free ensuring it releases slowly and quietly!
More information about serving wine can be found in both our online wine courses. See Serving and preserving wine under the consumer course and Wine service under the trade course for more details about this module.
Q: Once a bottle of wine is open, how long does it last?
A: It depends on the preservatives in the wine – sugar, acid, alcohol, tannin and sulphur dioxide. 'Light' wines (8-15% alcohol) should last for a day or two. Fortified and dessert wines (16-20% alcohol) tend to keep longer but not indefinitely! Always replace the cork or use a stopper, and keep the wine somewhere cool.
More information about how to taste faults in wine can be found in both our online wine courses. See Tips on wine tasting for more details about this module.