1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

PRACTICAL BAR MANAGEMENT

the bottle carefully from the cradle at the same angle at which it has been resting, and commence pouring slowly into the decanter, watching the wine againstthe light, as it passes through the neck of the bottle. When the bottle is almost empty, the sediment lying on the underside will begin to move—stop pouring directly it reaches the neck. The Art of Serving The temperature at which a wine should be served will vary according to the wine. For example. White Wines, both still and sparkling, should always be served quite cold, either by placing in a refrigerator, or in an ice bucket, say at a temperature of from 40° to 45° Fahrenheit. It is recommended that wines placed in a refrigerator should be kept in the lower part, and once placed there should not be taken out and put back again, which so often happens when the wine is not being used. It is harmful to any wine to be subjected to these varying temperatures, and particularly in the case of Champagne. Tastes vary as to the degree of coldness which is required, but nevertheless to serve wine almost at freezing point kills the bouquet and affects the appreciation of the flavour. Red Wines should be served at the room temperature, about 65°F. The wine should never be artificially heated by such methods as plunging the bottle into hot water,for it will not only "shock"the wine but destroy its bouquet. The correct method of serving red wine is to take the bottle or the decanted wine into the room in which it is to be drunk,say an hour or two before it is needed, and the cork or stopper should be taken out of the bottle or decanter to allow the wine to breathe. This only applies to the youngsters. The"Old Boys" and those over thirty years of age should be consumed soon after being uncorked or decanted. Do not place the wine where it gets the direct heat of a fire. Should the weather be cold, the wine could stand on the mantle- piece,or away to the side ofthe fire or radiator. The Art of Appreciation I. When eating salads with a vinegar dressing, avoid drinking red wine. Choose a dry white wine, according to taste,

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