Wine Serving | Giggly Grapes

The 5 S’s of Wine Tasting: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savour

12/10/2024

Hand tilting a glass of red wine over a white napkin to check its colour

See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip and Savour, with the physical reason behind each step, plus the two myths the ritual carries and one cheap bottle to practise on.

Off-Dry Wine: What It Means and How Sweet It Is

04/10/2024

Three glasses of white wine in a row from pale to deep gold

Off-dry means 4 to 12 grams of sugar a litre. Here is the full sweetness scale in numbers, why off-dry often tastes dry, and why Extra Dry sparkling is sweeter than Brut.

Can You Freeze Vermouth? What Really Happens

28/06/2024

Chilled bottle of vermouth and a small glass on a timber table

Yes, your freezer will freeze vermouth, at about minus 7C. Here is what that does to the taste, and how long an open bottle really lasts in the fridge.

Riedel Cabernet Decanter Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

10/06/2024

Wide crystal decanter half filled with red wine on a timber table

About $73, machine-made crystal, dishwasher safe and built around one bottle. What the Riedel Cabernet Decanter does well, and what it does not.

What Is Champagne and Shackles? The Party Theme Explained

29/05/2024

Two flutes of sparkling wine, a bottle, gold confetti and novelty handcuffs on a party table

Handcuffed to your date until the bottle is empty: what Champagne and Shackles is, where it came from, the usual rules, what to wear, the bubbly to bring and how to do it safely.

Best Wine for Risotto: What to Cook With and What to Drink With Mushroom Risotto

22/05/2024

Bowl of mushroom risotto beside a glass of Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir to drink, a cheap dry white to cook with. The best wine for mushroom risotto and every other risotto, what to avoid, and a bottle under eleven dollars.