WineLife365

Wine by the numbers Q & A

1.)    What’s considered a “full” glass of wine?  Answer: About a ½ glass.  A half full glass allows the swirling folks to play “merry-go-round” with their wine.

2.)    How many bottles of wine you should plan per guest during a full evening of entertaining?  Answer: At least 1 bottle (750ml) per person.  If it’s my sister-in-law Linda, we triple it! :) So know your crowd and plan accordingly.

3.)    What’s the approximate number of servings in a standard size (750ml) bottle of wine?  Answer: 5. The pour may be a tad light at 5.  But you get about 4-5 glasses per 750ml bottle depending on the generosity of the person pouring the wine.

4.)    How many calories are in a glass of wine?  Answer: A standard bartender’s pour is considered to be 5 ounces.  The approximate number of calories based on a 5 oz pour is between 100 and 150 calories.

5.)    How many different glasses do I need?  Answer: 1 red and 1 white wine glass.  Or just one great all-purpose glass.  If you like the bubbly stuff or wear an ascot and a smoker’s jacket, then you’ll need a Champagne flute and a brandy snifter or “cocktail glass” too!

6.)    How long do I need to fully chill a white wine in the fridge before serving it?  Answer: About 2 hours.

7.)    How long do I need to fully chill a red wine in the fridge before serving it?  Answer: None.  Most red wines should be served at room temperature unless you’re dealing with a “cross- dresser” red wine like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.  It all depends if you prefer to serve these particular types of reds at room temperature or with a little chill on them.

8.)    What’s the best storage temperature for wine to not freeze or cook?  Answer: Generally speaking an ideal storage temperature would be somewhere in your home that is constantly between 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit.  That’s why the basement makes for an ideal cellar.

9.)    How many days do leftover wines keep?  Answer: Again, generally speaking about 2 days. White wines tend to last a little bit longer than reds. I would say that red wines should be finished the day after opening it. That’s why I wish more wines used the bag-in-box system, it stays fresh much longer than a bottle.  Box wines can stay fresh for a month or more.

10.) How many different bottle openers do I need?  Answer: 1.  Any wine bottle with a cork can be opened with a  decent Spinhandle Screwpull.