A Practical Serving Guide

How to Achieve the Perfect Chill

• If the bottle is at room temperature (70°F/21°C): Place it in the refrigerator for 90 minutes before serving.
• If the bottle is stored in a warm cupboard: Chill it in the fridge for up to 2 hours.
• For a quick chill: Submerge the bottle in an ice bucket with equal parts ice and water for 20-30 minutes. Water transfers temperature far more efficiently than ice alone.
• The best method: The most controlled approach is to use a wine thermometer. Chill the wine slightly below your target temperature, as it will warm up by a few degrees in the glass during serving and tasting.

The Tasting Test: Too Warm or Too Cold?

• If your Pinot Noir is too warm (>65°F/18°C): The alcohol will be overly prominent on the nose and palate, creating a burning sensation. The wine may taste flat, lose its definition, and lack freshness.
• If your Pinot Noir is too cold (<50°F/10°C): The delicate aromas of cherry, violet, and spice will be locked away. The tannins will feel more astringent and bitter, and the overall experience will be closed and ungenerous.

Final Tip: The Swirl Test

When in doubt, trust your senses. Pour a small amount into your glass. If you can’t detect much aroma, it’s likely too cold—simply cup the bowl of the glass in your hand to warm it gently. If the wine immediately smells hot and alcoholic, give it a few more minutes in an ice bucket. The perfect temperature is achieved when the wine feels cool to the touch but releases a beautiful bouquet of fruit, earth, and spice with a gentle swirl.

By paying attention to this simple yet critical detail, you transform a good bottle of Pinot Noir into a great one, ensuring every sip is a true expression of its terroir and the winemaker’s art.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Bartenura Moscato 2007 5.0 % alcohol about $ 10

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description : Classic Moscato with aromas of peach, table grape and apricot. Medium sweet with a slight effervescence and a low alcohol. There is a pleasant minerality that gives the wine structure. Soft and pleasing. Enjoy with spicy seafood dishes or serve with fruit custard desserts. Tasting Note : Pale straw yellow color; spicy apple, citrus and light pear aromas; sweet apple and pear flavors with balancing acidity, with peach and litchee notes on the finish.

And now for my review. At the first sips the wine was sweet, and I tasted some honey. Its first pairing was with a commercial barbecued chicken and a side of potatoes roasted in chicken fat and a light, tomatoey sauce. The wine’s acidity picked up with the chicken wings and breast, and the potatoes. The stronger tasting chicken leg choked out the wine. When paired with a mixed tomato salad containing basil the Moscato lost acidity but picked up some fruit. It became too sweet.

The next meal involved ground beef in ground semolina jackets and a sour sauce containing Swiss chard. This is a delicious Middle Eastern specialty known as Kube. The wine had honey and refreshing acidity, but this wasn’t a good way to do sweet and sour. The Moscato’s honey taste picked up with fresh strawberries.

My final meal was composed of a Portobello mushroom omelet accompanied by a spicy salsa containing tomato, onion, green pepper, cilantro and other ingredients. The wine struck me as bold and its honey taste was strong. Interestingly enough the salsa intensified the wine’s sweetness.

I finished this bottle with Matjes herring followed by two local cheeses. The results were basically the same, apples, honey, and light acidity. The herring brought out increased apple taste, and the Swiss cheese intensified the honey. An asiago cheese split the middle.

Final verdict. I will not buy this wine because while above price represents the American market, I had to pay considerably more. But at the American price I would definitely buy it, especially for those times that I want a sweet low-alcohol wine that tastes pretty good.