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So you've spent your hard earned pennies on a lovely bottle of wine, and, if it's white, you've probably popped it straight in the fridge. Reds sit on the side, maybe in a wine rack, somewhere at room temperature, am I right?
Those of you who know me will know that I'm not a fan of 'the rules' and I firmly believe that you should drink your wine the way you want to, but this one is actually worth paying attention to...
The 20:20 rule is the idea that you take a white wine OUT of the fridge, 20 minutes before you drink it and pop your red wine IN the fridge for 20 minutes...
Why? I hear you cry.
Well it's pretty simple...by allowing a white wine to come up a couple of degrees, you'll be able to smell and taste more of the flavours, enhancing your enjoyment of the wine. (Think about a salad tomato, they taste so much better when they've been out of the fridge for a while, it's the same principle).
Is that not the same for reds then? Well, yes, you don't want them VERY cold, but room temperature these days is significantly warmer than it used to be. When red wines are too warm, the fruit flavours can seem jammy, and the tannins more bitter. Popping a red wine in the fridge for a bit can lift the fruit flavours, again enhancing your enjoyment.
So there you have it, a rule I'm willing to get behind...Give it a go, and let me know how you get on!
PS if we're talking sparkling wine, then the chill actually helps reduce the pressure in the bottle, so straight from the fridge is best for fizz!
