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May 6, 2008 4:38 pm US/Eastern
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A Lesson in Wine 101
How To Prepare For The 2008 Philadelphia Wine Festival
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
A fine glass of wine can serve as an elegant addition to dinner or a wonderful way to unwind. Still, many people are left feeling inadequate when it comes to the vast world of "vinology." That's why CBS3.com teamed up with 'The Wine School of Philadelphia' Tuesday for a lesson in 'Wine 101.'
Experts at the wine school said the basics of the bottle can be summed up in five words: see, swirl, sniff, sip and savor.
Founder Keith Wallace said the first step to properly enjoying wine is decanting.
"I don't care if you're spending $6 on a bottle of wine or $600. All you need to do is decant that wine … That brings in the oxygen, releases a lot of the flavor."
After a few minutes, the wine is ready for pouring. For starters, two or three ounces of wine will do.
Then, it's time to observe what's in your glass. Wallace said it is important to look for color and any floating particles before you begin to swirl your glass.
"This does two very important things. First, it makes you look like you know what you're doing. It also draws the aromatics into the glass," Wallace said.
The last few steps include sniffing, sipping and savoring the wine.
Wallace said, "You actually want to taste a little bit in your mouth and swirl it around a little bit and swallow and just let it linger."
The lesson comes at a good time as the Pennsylvania Convention Center hosts the seventh annual 'Philadelphia Wine Festival 2008' on Saturday, May 10th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The event will feature a variety of wine from nearly 200 of the world's finest wineries. For more information about the festival, click here.
To learn more about 'The Philadelphia Wine School' and its programs, click here.
RELATED LINKS:
2008 Philadelphia Wine Festival
The Wine School of Philadelphia
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