Serving Wine
  
Of the many so called rules about serving wine with food, the most 
  
important consideration is to choose one that you enjoy drinking.  
  
Some tips:
     
LUNCHEON WINES - These should compliment but not overpower foods.  
  
Serve a drier lighter wine before a fruitier, sweeter wine and usually 
  
a younger wine.
  
MEAL STARTERS & APPETIZERS - Serve light, dry wines such as a Chablis, 
  
Loire: Muscadet, Sauvignon Blanc or some slightly fruitier wines such as 
  
Chenin Blanc, Riesling or a Blush wine.  Dishes made with hearty flavored 
  
meat or stock for soups are complimented nicely by a light red wine such 
  
as Beaujolais.
  
FISH - Serve a dry white wine, usually being Chablis, White Burgundy,
  
Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc,  also a Gewurztraminer  with a balance of
  
acidity and fruitiness, and a Blush Wine.
  
CHICKEN and WHITE MEATS - Here it is important to remember the statement 
  
"Serve wines you enjoy" red, blush, or white.  With roasted meat or tomato 
  
sauces, serve Beaujolais, Merlot, Pinot Noir or red Bordeaux.  With cream 
  
sauces a white Burgundy, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc is a good 
  
compliment.
  
RED MEATS, GAME, and VEAL - Any fine red wine go well with these items. 
  
A filet or a nice steak traditionally are served with a red Bordeaux, 
  
a red Rhone, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Zinfandel would work well.
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Table Wine Service
   
Red wines should best be served at room temperature (between 65F and 70F) 
  
also called "cellar temperature".  
  
The lightier style red wines such as Beaujolais may be chilled slightly.
  
White Wines should be served chilled about 40F-45F. Chill at least two 
  
hours before serving, the wine does warm up after pouring but also this 
  
lets the true flavor of the grape of the wine to come through.
  
Champagne is chilled nicely at 40F-45F.  Before and after opening the 
  
bottle, it should be kept chilled.  
  
If using an ice bucket it should be filled with two-thirds ice and enough 
  
added water to cover the neck of the bottle.
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Opening Wine
   
Using a corkscrew to open a bottle, make sure the screw is long and curled
  
enough to get a grip on the whole cork, so that it will not crack or fall 
  
into the wine.  Cut the capsule below the lip of the bottle, wipe the 
  
bottle and cork with a cloth.  Insert the tip of the corkscrew slightly 
  
off-center and turn in a clockwise direction until fully into the cork. 
  
Holding the bottle firmly in one hand, hook the lever of the corkscrew 
  
onto the rim of the bottle then lift up the cork out almost in one 
  
movement.  Finally ease out the rest of the cork. 
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Opening Champagne
     
To open Champagne, loosen the wire hood by twisting the loop. 
  
Hold the bottle firmly in one hand and grasp the cork under a towel with 
  
the other hand.
  
Gently nurse the cork out while rotating the bottle at a 45 degree angle.
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