Hosting friends for dinner and you still wonder which bottle to open first?

Tasting different wines while having a meal is made easy by simple principles. These four wine-tasting rules can make all the difference!

Rule 1: Better, stronger, richer, after: Serve the quality of wines in ascending order.

If you want to serve several wines during a meal you need some organization. You absolutely do not open a rich wine before a light wine. The tannins of the first will numb your palate and you will miss the flavors of the second. Same for lower quality wines that would appear tasteless after a “grand cru”.

Some exceptions exist to that rule: For desserts, a champagne or a sweet wine can be served after a red wine even though they are lighter.

Rule 2: Serve the white wines and the rose wines before the red wines.

Just by respecting the first rule you can deduce that white and rose wines have to be served before the red wines. Indeed the acidity and the fruity flavors of these wines would vanish on a palate full of tannins.

The only exception to this rule is about the light and fruity red wines like Beaujolais or those from Vallee de la Loire. They can be served after a great white wine, strong enough to overcome the small tannins.

Rule 3: Serve the young wines before the aged wines

With age the wines develop singular aromas. The red wines from Bordeaux would tend to have woody and leathery flavors while the sweet white wines would have a candied fruits taste.

Therefore it is more difficult to appreciate the vivacity and the freshness of a young wine after such heavy and complex flavors. Pay respect to aged wines; so let the young go first.

Rule 4: Serve the dry wines before the sweet wines

Sweet, dry and candied fruits, chocolate… The sweet wines can have a large span of flavors. Their sweetness would overwhelm the acidity and the tannins of dry wines, whether it is red or white.

Always serve dry wines first and go for sweet wines to pair with your favorite desserts.

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