23rd July 2025 | Cork Talk | 10 minute read
In the spirit of celebrating our 25th anniversary year, we’re empowering our favourite wine lovers with an indispensable pocket guide to wine! Welcome to twenty-five wine tips to have you drinking like a pro. Clear, practical advice to walk you through the (sometimes intimidating) world of wine.
For the quietly curious, we’ll answer those questions you’re too red-faced to ask. While connoisseurs can freshen up on the basics and boost your wine savvy. No matter where you’re at, we’ll meet you there.
Forget about long, dry courses, this is a compact, rapid-fire path to drinking with confidence. Each week we’ll be adding to the blog, sharing wine tasting techniques and the building blocks of oenology. So, stay with us to better understand wine, and what you want in your glass.
You’ve seen it. You’ve maybe done it. That little swirl of the glass before a sip. But… why? We’re kicking off our wine tips series with a move that’s more method than madness.
So, why do we do it?
Swirling helps release the wine’s aromas, and since flavour is taste plus smell, that’s a win. It also introduces a bit of oxygen, which aerates and opens the wine. As wine hits the sides of the glass, scent molecules attach to evaporating alcohol vapours, wafting to your nose. Swirling also softens the tannins in red wine, giving a silkier mouthfeel.
Does it make a difference?
Yes. Try sniffing before and after. It’s sometimes subtle, but always noticeable.
How to swirl (without redecorating your shirt)
Hold the stem and make small, confident wrist circles. Or rest the glass on a flat surface, slide the base of the stem between your pointer and middle fingers and make quick, small rotations.
Which wines should you swirl?
All of them. Red, white, rosé, it works across the board. Just skip the bubbles to avoid deflating your fizz.
Now breathe in, sip and enjoy!
Let’s get this straight: it’s not gargling in the mouthwash sense. But the idea behind the technique is the same, to get your whole palate involved. It’s more like ‘swishing’ the wine around your mouth and it’s all about activating flavour.
What is “wine gargling,” really?
It’s a simple move that helps you experience more of the wine’s flavour by drawing in air while tasting. This helps oxygenate the wine, which amplifies its favour. Flavour isn’t just about taste, it’s a combination of taste and smell, with texture in the mix too. This technique enhances all three.
How to do it
You’ll notice the wine spreading across your mouth, hitting every taste bud and releasing its aromatic notes. It’s especially useful for complex reds or aromatic whites where there’s lots to discover.
Why it matters
The extra oxygen amplifies flavour, softens tannins and helps you notice subtleties. Think ripe fruit, spice, florals, even minerality. It’s not just a showy move, it’s a useful one.
And yes, it might feel a little odd at first, but do try it. Discreetly or flamboyantly, it’s up to you! What matters is enjoying what’s in the glass.
These three elements are the building blocks of wine: acidity, tannin and body. If you understand what they are (and how to spot them) you’ll gain confidence in describing the types of wine you prefer. Which means you’ll get better at choosing wines you want to drink!
Acidity
Acidity gives wine its freshness. That tart, mouth-watering sensation, like biting into a lemon. You’ll feel it along the sides of your tongue, often with a tingling edge.
How to determine acidity in a wine: The Saliva Test
Take a sip and gently ‘gargle’ (see Tip 2). Then look down. The more your mouth waters, the higher the acidity. High-acid wines feel sharp, zesty and crisp. Think Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or Pinot Noir.
Tannin
Tannin comes from grape skins, seeds and oak. It’s mostly found in reds and orange wines, though some structured whites (like oak-aged Chardonnay) have small amounts. Tannin binds with proteins in your saliva, creating a dry, grippy texture, often felt along the gums and tongue.
But what does tannin taste like?
Swish strong black tea in your mouth. Notice a dry, almost sandpapery feel? That’s tannin.
Body
Body is all about weight and texture — how the wine feels in your mouth, its viscosity. Body is influenced by alcohol, grape variety, residual sugar and winemaking choices.
How can I tell the body of a wine?
Try this simple test. Line up three glasses with respective dashes of whole milk, semi-skimmed milk and water. The trick is to taste them consecutively, to compare and contrast. Let the liquid sit on your tongue and feel the difference. Pay attention and you’ll get a decent understanding of how body works.
Whole milk = full-bodied wine
Semi-skimmed = medium-bodied wine
Water = light-bodied wine
Try these simple taste tests. They will help you decode your palate and shop smarter. Because knowing what you like is the real secret to drinking like a pro.
For an easy to follow, step-by-step guide to sommelier-style wine tasting, check out our how to taste wine page.
While personal preference will always matter, there are objective markers of how to assess wine. Professionals look for four key elements of quality, summed up in one tidy acronym: BLIC – Balance, Length, Intensity, Complexity.
Balance
A well-balanced wine is one where acidity, sweetness, alcohol and tannin work together. Everything should feel in proportion.
Length
Also known as the finish, this is the duration that flavours remain on our palate after swallowing. A brief finish is typical of simple wines. A long, clean, persistent finish lasting 10 seconds or more is a strong indicator of craftsmanship and complexity.
Intensity
This isn’t about power, it’s about the precision and clarity of aromas and flavours. A wine with high intensity will have well-defined notes. Think of a Cab Sav bursting with blackcurrant, violet, graphite, rather than tasting of generic red wine. It’s not just about the strength of flavours, but how expressive and focused they are.
Complexity
This is about layers. Do the flavours evolve as you sip? Complex wines may reveal primary notes (like fruit and floral), secondary (oak, lees, spice), and even tertiary characteristics (earth, dried fruit, smoke). The more elements you can identify (and the more they develop), the more complex the wine.
So, next time you’re tasting, don’t overthink it, but do ask yourself: Is it BLIC? It’s a simple yet powerful framework for understanding what makes a truly great wine.
You’ve just opened a bottle, given it a swirl, and something doesn’t smell right. That musty, dull aroma? You might be dealing with a corked wine — and no, it has nothing to do with cork fragments floating in your glass.
The term corked refers to a specific wine fault caused by TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole), a compound that can develop when natural cork comes into contact with fungi and chlorine-based cleaning agents. Even trace amounts of TCA can suppress a wine’s aroma and flavours.
What does corked wine smell like?
These are the classic indicators of cork taint. The aromas are typically musty, earthy and stale, masking or entirely muting the wine’s fruit character.
What about taste?
Corked wines often taste flat, thin, or hollow, with deadened fruit and muted acidity. In more severe cases, they may also show bitterness or an unpleasant, mouldy finish. In milder instances, the wine may simply seem dull, not obviously faulty but lacking vibrancy.
Important to know:
Recognising cork taint is about tuning into your senses. If a wine smells musty and tastes muted, trust your instincts, even if the fault is subtle. Importantly, if you’re served a corked wine in a bar or restaurant, it’s completely acceptable to send it back. Cork taint is rare, but real, and learning to spot it is key to drinking better.
For a deep dive into this topic and beyond, check out our page on how to spot and fix faults in wine.
You’re hosting friends, the music’s on, glasses are out and someone asks the inevitable question “Do we have another bottle?”. Whether it’s a dinner party or a bigger celebration, knowing how many serves are in a bottle helps you to plan properly and avoid the classic hosting mistake – running out too soon!
The tricky part? You can’t judge it by the size of the glass.
Big glasses, small glasses, “I’ll just top you up” glasses, everyone pours differently. That’s why this is about measurements, not guesswork.
The simple bottle maths
A standard bottle of wine = 750ml
How many glasses you get depends on how much you pour.
Still wine (red, white, rosé):
Sparkling wine:
Why the numbers matter
At home, pours are almost always more generous than we think. Bigger glasses and freer hands mean bottles empty faster.
Good hosting is about making guests feel relaxed, welcome and looked after. A little bottle maths means no awkward shortages or last-minute dashes to the shop. Plan ahead and pour confidently.
It’s the great party question. The bubbles are flowing and someone ponders: “So… what’s the actual difference between Prosecco and Champagne?”
The short answer is simple: Champagne is from France and Prosecco is from Italy.
The non-negotiable rule
Both wines are PDO-protected (Protected Designation of Origin), meaning only sparkling wines made in their specific regions following strict rules can be called ‘Champagne’ or ‘Prosecco’.
Champagne comes from the Champagne region in north-east France. If it’s not made there, it cannot legally use the name.
Prosecco comes from north-east Italy, mainly the Veneto area, north of Venice. Like Champagne, only wines from this area that follow the PDO rules can officially be called Prosecco.
Why is Champagne so much more expensive?
Part of the answer is how the wines are made.
Champagne is produced using the traditional method, where the second fermentation (which creates the bubbles) happens inside the bottle. This process is slow, labour-intensive, and involves ageing on its lees (dead yeast cells), which adds both cost and complexity.
Prosecco is made using the tank method, where the second fermentation happens in large stainless-steel tanks. This is faster, more efficient, and preserves fresh, aromatic fruit flavours, which is why Prosecco is usually more affordable.
Champagne is also a global luxury brand. Its reputation, positioning and demand mean it commands higher prices. Prosecco, by contrast, is positioned as an accessible, everyday sparkling wine (though outstanding examples exist, particularly from Conegliano Valdobbiadene).
Different grapes, different wines
Champagne is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Prosecco is made primarily from the Glera grape.
How do they taste?
While both are sparkling wines, they offer very different experiences in the glass.
Champagne typically shows:
Prosecco is usually:
Both wines sparkle, but knowing their differences helps you choose the perfect bottle every time.
Decanting wine has a reputation for being theatrical… all candles, crystal and ceremony. But in reality, it’s a simple, practical technique that often makes wine taste better.
Should we decant wine?
In many cases, yes. Most bold red wines and vintage ports benefit from decanting. And while it’s talked about less often, some white wines benefit from decanting too, particularly full-bodied, complex styles that can be tight or reduced when first opened.
Why do we decant wine?
There are two entirely practical reasons.
As wines age, especially reds and vintage ports, they naturally form sediment. It’s harmless, but it tastes bitter and gives the wine a gritty texture. Decanting allows you to leave it in the bottle, so it doesn’t end up in your glass.
Some wines (particularly young, structured reds and certain full-bodied whites) can smell muted or slightly reductive when first opened. Decanting increases their contact with oxygen, which helps aromas and flavours open up, soften firm tannins (in reds) and broaden texture and aroma (in whites).
What should you use to decant?
You can decant into any clean, watertight vessel. A decanter is nice, but not essential. A jug or carafe works perfectly well. Traditional decanters tend to have a narrow neck (to make pouring easier) and sometimes a stopper, which allows you to control how much air the wine is exposed to.
How to decant wine (for sediment)
If your aim is to remove sediment, a little care is needed.
Step 1: Stand the bottle upright
If the wine has been stored on its side, stand it upright for several hours (or ideally a day) so the sediment settles at the bottom.
Step 2: Use a light source
Place a candle, lamp or even your phone torch under the neck of the bottle. This lets you see when the sediment approaches.
Step 3: Pour slowly and steadily
Decant the wine in one smooth motion. As soon as you see sediment creeping towards the neck, stop. Leave the cloudy last portion in the bottle.
The sediment isn’t dangerous, it’s just not pleasant to drink.
How to decant for aeration
If you’re decanting to open up a young wine (red or white), you can be much more robust. In fact, it helps to pour the wine quite energetically into a wide-bottomed vessel to maximise its contact with air.
When should you decant?
As a general rule:
Important to know:
Decanting isn’t about ceremony or showing off. It’s simply about serving wine in the best possible condition. And when it’s done right, the difference is often very clear in the glass.
You’ve seen the ‘no/low’ or zero alcohol wine section on the shelf. Maybe you’ve wondered – is that just grape juice in a wine bottle, or is it worth the price?
The short answer is yes… and no. For years, non‑alcoholic wine often tasted like cloying, flat grape juice, a sad impostor at best. But things are changing. Today’s low and no‑alcohol wines range from disappointing to genuinely enjoyable, and a few are outright impressive when you know what to look for.
How are low/no alcohol wines made?
Most no‑alcohol or low‑alcohol wines start life as real wine, just like any other. Grapes are harvested and fermented. The difference comes later, when the alcohol is removed or reduced using specialist techniques. The aim is to remove or reduce alcohol without stripping out the character of the wine.
Here are the main methods:
Vacuum distillation
Gently lowers the pressure so the alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature, preserving much of the wine’s flavour and aroma.
Spinning cone column
Wine flows over a series of rotating cones in a vacuum- separating alcohol from flavour and allowing aromas to be recombined afterwards.
Reverse osmosis
Wine is filtered through a membrane that separates alcohol and water from flavour compounds. It’s then recombined, a process designed to protect delicate aromatics.
Yes, good ones do exist. Thanks to better technology and winemaking, there are low and no‑alcohol options with real flavour, balanced acidity and textural interest. Look for:
The key is to look for de-alcoholised wine, which means it was first made as proper wine and then had the alcohol removed, rather than being odd grape juice in a pretty bottle.
You might’ve heard that red wine is ‘healthier’ than white, and that white wine gives you headaches. But like most wine myths, the truth is more interesting.
So… is red wine healthier?
Red wine does contain more polyphenols (antioxidant compounds found in grape skins and seeds) simply because red wine ferments with the skins, whereas white wine doesn’t.
Compounds like resveratrol and other polyphenols have shown antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory activity in lab studies and have been linked to benefits like improved heart‑related biomarkers.
But here’s the honest science:
So no, red wine isn’t objectively ‘healthier’ just because it’s red. Enjoy it because it tastes great and enjoy it in moderation.
But what about headaches?
Now for the second part of the myth: “White wine gives me a headache.”
Here’s the thing: the colour of the wine isn’t the cause. The science points elsewhere.
What may really be happening:
Whatever the colour, enjoy wine in moderation for its flavour and the moment.
