Let our wine team at SPAR help you get the best out of wine, whether you are having a glass to help you relax after a long day at work or celebrating a special occasion with family and friends.
Before serving
Make sure you have enough wine for your guests. As a guide, one 75cl bottle provides 6 x 125ml glasses.
Plan ahead and make sure your wine is at its ideal temperature before serving.
Taste the wine before serving it to guests. That way you can make sure it’s at the right temperature and in a good condition.
Chill white and rosé wines but they shouldn't be too cold. One hour in the fridge is perfect.
Let red wines warm up to room temperature gradually if you have time. They also benefit from being poured into a decanter or carafe to allow the aroma and flavour to fully open up.
Opened bottles
If you have an unfinished bottle of wine after a dinner party, replace the cork or screwcap and put it back in the fridge. The remaining wine will keep for around two days.
It’s fine to refrigerate opened reds to keep them fresh. Just take them out to warm up before serving.
Storing wine
Store in a cool (10-14C) place, and lie bottles down to keep the corks moist. Screwcap bottles do not need to be on their sides.
Keep away from strong light, smells or very hot and cold temperatures. Big changes in temperature cause the most damage.
Keeping wines
Not all wines improve on keeping – whites are best drunk young as are rosés, which do not improve with age. All of the reds at SPAR are offered when they’re ready for drinking, but can be stored for some months, and will improve as the flavours develop.