1935 For home use Angostura Bitters recipe book (3rd edition)

Wines: Choice—Care—Serving(conta.) When purchasing wines for home use it is advisable to order a quantity of half-bottles to satisfy those occasions when a half-bottle will be sufficient. Although a half-bottle costs,pro rata, a little more than a whole one, the extra cost has more to commend it than excess or waste.

When wines are ordered in hotels or restaurants take particular notice of their brilliant clarity when served. If a wine be dull and lifeless its condition is in doubt, and it should be refused. If a wine is "bitty"with disturbed sediment suitable comment might be passed upon the probable careless hand ling. For frequent use in an informal way, the buying of beverage wines—Burgundy,Claret, Chablis,and the like—may be considered, reserving special vintages for formal,"state"and other epicurean occasions. Storage: All wines should be kept in a horizontal position whilst in storage, and only be allowed to stand in a vertical position for a few hours before serving. The white"smear"on port bottles should always be kept uppermost during storage. The horizontal position offull bottles, by prevent ing the corks from becoming"de-naturtlised"and unduly porous, keeps the wine"alive" and in perfect condition. Constant satiuration, combined with age, calls for great care when extracting corks from wine bottles. A corkscrew with a broad spiral is greatly to be preferred—one of narrow meagre construction would almost surely tear out the centre of the cork and otherwise cause trouble and annoyance. When opening wines first remove the foil, wire or any other extraneous fitment and wipe the mouth of the bottle before drawing the cork. The contents would be marred by pouring them from a stained or dirty bottle neck.

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