TALES OF THE VINE

Q:? I have old red wine stains on the inside of my decanter but nothing I do gets rid of them. Any suggestions?

A:? Try soaking the decanter in vinegar for half an hour then brushing with a soft bottle brush. If the stain is not too old this may get rid of the pigment. If the stain is old its pigment may have already bonded chemically with the glass.

Always wash decanters soon after service and rinse with bottled water before hanging upside down to dry (to avoid off aromas do not set face down on a bar or counter surface while drying) then store upright in a dust free environment.

Q:? Is it true that white wine gets rid of red wine stains on a white shirt?

A:? No, but this legend is a good way to sell more white wine. Better not to wear white clothes when drinking red wine as someone about one meter tall will always approach from outside your peripheral vision and bump into your glass of red wine when you wear white clothes. Happens every time.

Q:? How many glasses of wine are there in one bottle?

A:? Up to youuuuu. By convention, there are five 150 ml glasses of wine in one standard 750 ml bottle but some generous souls pour four glasses per bottle while stingy ones may squeeze out six glasses from a bottle. For sparkling wines you usually give a little less due to the intoxicating effect of the carbon dioxide; about six glasses per bottle.

Q:? Why are all German Rieslings sweet?

A:? Most German Riesling wines do not taste sweet; it is usually only the more expensive dessert wines and the very cheap rot gut that is noticeably sweet. German Riesling has very, very high levels of acidity because the grapes are grown in such a cold climate so it is necessary for the winemaker to leave some unfermented grape sugar in the wine to balance the sour taste of the acidity. Tasters begin to detect and perceive this sugar at different thresholds so it is to be expected that not everyone will agree whether a particular German Riesling tastes sweet or dry. Also, Riesling has a fruity taste so its fruitiness is sometimes mistaken for sweetness. If you want a dry Riesling you certainly will have no trouble to find them; and they are among the best and perfect for sunny Phuket days.

Q:? What is Mistel? I saw it recently in the wine section of the airport duty free in Berlin.

A:? Mistel is a Spanish drink that is produced by partially fermenting grape juice with Sherry yeast then fortified the juice with brandy before aging it five to ten years in old wooden casks. Mistel has a long lasting nutty, caramel flavor that is positively ethereal. Mistel is usually enjoyed with nuts, cheeses or cakes. It is incredible when served chilled on a hot day with almonds, figs and thin sliced air cured ham. I love the stuff and import a little but generally there is little demand as it is a very hard to find specialty product and it is not well known.

Q:? This happened to me last year; what do I do to get the cork out of a champagne bottle if it wont come out?

A: You can buy “champagne pliers” to deal with this case but they are expensive and I usually forget where I have put mine before I ever have an occasion to use them. Its easier to just cut the top of the cork off with a sharp knife and remove the stuck portion of the cork with a regular corkscrew. If you leave the wire hood on the cork this helps get some traction for the hand when opening. Also, people with small hands have better luck grasping the knobby top of the champagne cork so maybe you can just give the bottle to someone else to open. People with large hands cannot easily get a grip on the small knob of the cork. You know, big hands - big gloves. Something like that.