1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

NINE

The Art of Wining

God made man asfrail as a bubble, God made love arid love made trouble, God made wine so is it a sin For man to drink wine to drown trouble in? '' OME Landlord, fill the flowing bowl, until it doth run over I" Yes, songs, verse and books have been written throughout the ages about that ever-enchanting subject. Wine. Experts and connoisseurs have covered its aspects from the gathering of the grapes to the bottling of the wine; all I can humbly give is a few useful hints, as to storage and service. The Art of Buying The actual buying of wine calls for a person who has had many years of experience, someone who has a thorough knowledge of the innumerable brands and the best vintages. This buyer must use his own judgment, especially when purchasing wines for "laying down", which will not be used for a number of years. It is always difficult to anticipate what the public taste will be by then, nevertheless, one of the finest advertisements for any establishment is its Wine List, therefore it must be par excellence. The Art of Tasting Wine This is a ritual which should be approached with gentlemanly gravity and composure,and thefollowing rules should be observed: 1. The palate must be clean and untainted,and it is advisable not to smoke either before or during the tasting. To assist in attuning the palate, a little bread, a piece of biscuit or minute portions of, say, cheddar cheese, will be found to be very helpful. 2. The selected glasses should be highly polished and must not be more than half filled with wine, so that the fragrance will be appreciated. 3. Next, hold the glass against the light to judge the clearness and colour of the wine being sampled. For example, a red Burgundy is richer in colour than a red Claret. 89