06 · Serve Beginner

Serving wine step by step

Serving well is simple once you know the order. Temperature matters most, then glass, then pour. This guide covers every step from pulling the bottle out of storage to filling the first glass.

The seven steps

1. Chill (or don't)

Whites, rosés and sparkling: 1–2 hours in a fridge, or 20 minutes in an ice-and-water bucket. Reds: serve at 14–18 °C — if stored warmer than this, 20 minutes in the fridge is fine. Use the serving temperature tool for specific styles.

2. Choose the right glass

A large, tulip-shaped glass works for almost any wine. Fill no more than one-third — this gives room for the wine to breathe and for you to swirl. Sparkling wine is served in a flute or (increasingly) a white wine glass for more aroma.

3. Remove the capsule

Cut below the second lip of the bottle neck using a foil cutter or the blade of a sommelier's knife. Wipe the rim. Do not leave the capsule on — it traps moisture and can affect the taste of poured wine if it drips.

4. Open the bottle

For corks: insert the worm of a corkscrew centrally, turn until one coil remains above the cork, lever out smoothly. For screwcaps: unscrew anticlockwise. For sparkling: hold the cork firmly, turn the bottle (not the cork) slowly. Never pop — ease out with a gentle sigh.

5. Inspect and sniff

Before pouring, smell the cork briefly (it tells you little). Pour a small amount into the host's glass first if serving guests — they can check for obvious faults (vinegar, mould, flat carbonation). A corked wine smells of damp cardboard.

6. Pour

Fill glasses no more than one-third full. Tip the bottle slightly away from vertical for a smooth pour. Twist slightly as you finish to prevent drips. Pour whites and sparkling before reds at the table — lighter wines first.

7. Decant (if needed)

Decanting does two things: separates sediment (in older reds) and aerates the wine (speeds up what would naturally happen over an hour in a glass). Young tannic reds benefit from 30–60 minutes of decanting. See the FAQ for guidance on when to decant.

The one thing most people get wrong

Red wine served too warm is the most common serving error. A modern kitchen or dining room in winter sits at 20–22 °C. Serving a full-bodied red at this temperature makes it taste flat, jammy and alcoholic. Ten to fifteen minutes in the fridge before pouring brings it to the 16–18 °C range where the fruit is more defined and the alcohol integrates. The serving temperature tool shows the ideal range for each style.

Wine serving temperature and glass types

Understanding how to serve wine correctly starts with wine serving temperature — the single factor that most affects how a wine tastes in the glass. Red wine served too warm (above 20 °C) tastes flat, jammy and alcoholic; white wine served too cold (below 6 °C) loses its aromatic expression. The ideal wine serving temperature ranges are: sparkling wine 6-10 °C, light whites 8-10 °C, full-bodied whites 10-13 °C, light reds 12-14 °C, medium reds 14-16 °C, full-bodied reds 16-18 °C. A kitchen thermometer or wine thermometer is a worthwhile investment for anyone serious about serving.

Wine glass types also affect the drinking experience, though less dramatically than temperature. A single all-purpose tulip-shaped glass (400-550 ml capacity, tapered rim) works for virtually any wine. For more specific use: a large Burgundy bowl concentrates delicate Pinot Noir aromas, a tall Bordeaux glass suits tannic reds, a narrow flute showcases the bead of sparkling wine, and a copita is used for Sherry tasting. The key principle across all wine glass types is to fill no more than one-third full — this allows room for swirling, which releases aromatic compounds. The WSET and GuildSomm service curricula both cover glassware selection, and Jancis Robinson has published an all-purpose wine glass designed for universal use.

Sources: WSET (service and storage curricula); Court of Master Sommeliers (table service standards); Institute of Masters of Wine (service temperature guidance); GuildSomm (sommelier service resources). Last updated: 2026-10-15. Corrections via the contact form.

Questions

About serving wine.

What temperature should I serve wine at?

The most common mistake is serving red wine too warm and white wine too cold. General ranges: sparkling 6–10 °C, light whites 8–10 °C, full-bodied whites 10–13 °C, light reds 12–14 °C, medium reds 14–16 °C, full-bodied reds 16–18 °C. "Room temperature" historically meant a cool European cellar (around 15 °C), not a modern centrally-heated room. The serving temperature tool on the tools page gives ranges by style.

Does it matter which way I pour?

Pour slowly and steadily, keeping the label visible to your guest as you pour. Finish with a slight twist to prevent the last drop from running down the bottle. For sparkling wine, tilt the glass slightly as you pour to reduce foaming. Never pour sparkling wine straight down into a vertical glass — it creates excessive foam and drives off CO₂ too quickly.

When should I decant a wine?

Decant young tannic reds (Barossa Shiraz, Napa Cabernet, young Barolo) 30–90 minutes before serving to soften them. Decant old reds (10+ years) gently to separate sediment — hold a light or candle below the neck and stop when sediment reaches the shoulder. Do not decant most white wines or sparkling wine. Aromatic whites and older whites can sometimes benefit from a short 15-minute decant if they seem closed on first opening.

Does the shape of the glass really matter?

For most purposes, any large, tulip-shaped glass works. The rim should curve inward slightly to concentrate aromas toward your nose. Where glass shape matters more is in specialist contexts: a narrow flute emphasises the bead of sparkling wine but limits aroma. Some producers of high-end sparkling now recommend a white wine glass instead. Burgundy glasses (large bowl, narrow top) concentrate the delicate aromas of Pinot Noir. The Choosing the right glass guide covers this in full.

How do I open sparkling wine safely?

Keep the bottle chilled — a warm bottle is under much more pressure. Remove the foil. Keeping a thumb firmly on the cork, untwist the wire cage (six half-turns anticlockwise) and remove it while keeping pressure on the cork. Hold the cork firmly and twist the bottle slowly away from the cork — not the other way. The cork should come out with a quiet sigh, not a pop. Point the bottle away from people and never toward your face or eyes.

How do I open a wine bottle without a corkscrew?

The safest method without a corkscrew is to push the cork in with a blunt object (like the handle of a wooden spoon) — this works for most standard corks, though some will crumble. A shoe method (wrapping the bottle base in a cloth, then striking against a wall) is risky and can break the bottle. The best approach is to use a proper wine opener: a waiter's corkscrew (sommelier's knife), lever corkscrew (Rabbit), or ah-so (butler's friend for old fragile corks). For screwcap bottles, simply twist anticlockwise. Screwcaps are now used on a large proportion of new-world wines and are not an indicator of low quality.

How do I hold a wine glass correctly?

Hold a wine glass by the stem, not the bowl. Gripping the bowl warms the wine, leaves fingerprints on the glass, and reduces the clarity of colour assessment. Pinch the stem lightly between thumb, index and middle finger. For stemless glasses, hold as low on the bowl as possible. At a tasting, hold the glass against a white background when assessing colour. For casual drinking, stemless glasses are perfectly acceptable — the concern about warming only matters during extended tastings or when serving a chilled wine.

What is the ideal wine serving temperature for each wine style?

The ideal wine serving temperature depends on the style. Sparkling wine (Champagne, Prosecco, Cava): 6-10 °C — cold preserves carbonation and crispness. Light white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Vinho Verde): 8-10 °C. Full-bodied white wine (oaked Chardonnay, Viognier, white Burgundy): 10-13 °C — slightly warmer to allow the complex aromas to express. Light red wine (Pinot Noir, Gamay, Beaujolais): 12-14 °C — a slight chill keeps the fruit fresh. Medium red wine (Chianti, Rioja Crianza, Côtes du Rhône): 14-16 °C. Full-bodied red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo, Barossa Shiraz): 16-18 °C. Sweet wine: 8-10 °C. Fortified wine: varies — Fino Sherry at 7-9 °C, Tawny Port at 12-14 °C, vintage Port at 16-18 °C. The most common mistake is serving reds too warm — 10-15 minutes in the fridge before pouring brings a room-temperature bottle to the ideal range.

What is the right wine glass to use?

A single all-purpose tulip-shaped glass (400–550 ml capacity, tapered rim, long stem) is all you need for any wine. Fill no more than one-third full to allow swirling and aroma concentration. For specific styles: a large-bowled Burgundy glass concentrates delicate Pinot Noir aromas; a tall Bordeaux glass suits tannic reds; a Champagne flute shows the bubble bead. For everyday use, a good all-purpose glass outperforms a specific glass used incorrectly. The full breakdown is in the choosing the right glass guide.