If the first sip of wine causes your lips to pucker and your face to shrink, I’m going to think you grabbed a cheap wine bottle from the grocery store shelf. You may throw the bottle away. But, hey, it’s still drinkable alcohol, so why not repair it? All you need is a basic grasp of flavor and fragrance, as well as a few everyday objects. You may turn your flat and flavorless wine into a lot more pleasant one with a little tinkering.
What to do in the Wine
- Decant it or simply pour it into a fresh container, such as a pitcher or another bottle. The act of shifting and moving the wine around aids in the introduction of oxygen, which enhances the flavor. Note that decanting sparkling wine will only cause the wine to go flat faster, and will only improve the flavor of older, more costly sparkling wines.
- Aerate it when decanting isn’t enough, aerate your wine by putting it through a wine aerator which you can buy at wine stores and kitchen supply store or just simply stir it. Without a wine aerator, my preferred method is to pour the wine into a big jar or pitcher and stir it for 30 to 60 seconds with a wire whisk. After then, set it aside for a few minutes. The taste of the wine will almost certainly improve. Exposing wine to air helps it breathe by filtering away some of the graininess. That’s why many people swirl it about in a glass many times before taking a drink.
- Blend it, this may sound strange, but trust me when I say that no one will ever know. Do you know what your buddies will do if you combine a bottle of cheap wine with a bottle of slightly less cheap wine in a large pitcher, aerate it thoroughly, then serve it to them? They’ll be happy since you just served them a large pitcher of wine. They’ll then sip it and remark on how unusual it tastes.
- Mull it, by using a few cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and orange peels to simmer your wine. Not only will your house smell wonderful, but your bad wine will transform into the ideal stay-warm sipper. Mulled wine is a wonderful winter wine alternative since it’s substantial, spicy, and warms you up quickly. It’s also a fantastic way to hide a less-than-delicious bottle of red wine.
What to add to the Wine?
Make it a Sangria
To be honest, the fruit salad is what makes a sangria fantastic. Nobody has ever chosen to add a fine bottle of wine to that orange juice and brandy concoction; in fact, most recipes call for table wine. The quality of the wine doesn’t really make a difference if you have some apples and pears to toss in. Sangria is primarily a celebration drink, so even if the bottle is a disaster, the brandy and orange juice will mask it long enough for your friends to down a glass or two.
Pair it with Cheese
Everyone knows that cheese is the perfect companion to wine. The sharpness of a cheese can mask the stronger taste of wine, and vice versa. The two complement each other for balance and harmony to please your palate. Also, cheese is just delicious, and you should have it on you always.
Add Some Fizz
Adding anything fizzy and bubbly can help to mask sour and disagreeable flavors, but if you think that adding soda is sacrilege, you’ve definitely never tried it. Some of the unpleasant tastes are masked by carbonation. It’s very effective with overly sugary wines. Making the drink fizzy makes it more refreshing and appealing. In countries like Spain, one of the world’s top wine-producing countries, locals have found the wonderful results of mixing wine with lemon-lime soda (and other Fanta flavors), dubbed “tinto de verano.”
Final Thoughts
Throwing parties and events is quite expensive and it is understandable that you try to lower your expenses by choosing some cheap option, especially if you know that you can give it a remedy and solution. As long as you have some simple tricks in the back of your hand and you know that you can make things work. It is also a great time to have fun and experiment with the drinks since you know that you got nothing to lose. The end result might give you the best wine concoction that you can serve to your guest.
Kristine Decena is a professional editor with over 10 years of experience in the publishing industry. She specializes in editing food and drink, footwear, clothing, and other lifestyle content. She has worked for such notable companies as The New York Times Company, Food Network Magazine, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., Hearst Corporation and Condé Nast International. Kristine is a graduate of Ohio University where she obtained degrees in English Literature and Journalism before embarking on her career as an editor.
