Modern Etiquette: Drink Wine Like In Italy

Italy is a country of vineyards and sultry women. The culture of wine drinking there has a long history.

Italy is a country of vineyards and sultry women. The culture of wine drinking there has a long history. And although now the amount of alcohol consumed in this country has decreased, the knowledge of Italians about how, when and with what to drink good wine is very valuable. It is worth getting acquainted with this experience and, perhaps, this acquaintance will open new sensations for you.

 

Way of wine

Italian grapes are older than the country itself. The ancient Greeks were the first to grow it. The Romans took over and developed the craft of winemaking from them. In the Middle Ages, Catholic monks kept the secrets of growing juicy grapes and how to turn them into fine wine. It remained unchanged until the second half of the 20th century. Only during this period, Italy began to introduce innovative ideas in this industry, and indeed took it under state control. This was a key factor in the development of Italian wine production, which is now worth a try for everyone.

 

Aperitif

The right wine before a meal can improve digestion and raise the overall tone of the body. Now the aperitif tradition is popular in many Western countries, but it comes from Italy.

Thanks to a glass of wine before a meal, a healthy appetite should be played out, and the ability to perceive the taste of dishes will improve.

As an aperitif, Italians prefer light sparkling wines with sourness, olives, cheese plates, crackers, bread sticks, etc. serve as an appetizer. But it is better not to overdo it with them, the main thing in an aperitif is still wine.

 

Wine for lunch or dinner

At the beginning of the meal, white young wines are uncorked, then - according to the increase in tannin content. Aged reds are served last.

The ability to combine food and wine according to such indicators as bouquet, year, color and type of grapes is the result of a path of frequent trials and comparisons, or taking sommelier courses. But in principle, the main thing is to remember a few rules:

dry red wines go with fatty meat or fish, they are slightly sour, and will help the stomach cope with heavy food; dry white and semi-sweet wines are served with salads, pasta, lean meats; Desserts are served with semi-sweet and fortified wines made from grape varieties with a floral flavor.

If you are lucky enough to try Italian wine in Italy itself, then choose the wines of the region where you are for local cuisine, you definitely won’t go wrong.

 

Digestive

Already by the sound of the word, you can guess that this is the antipode of an aperitif. Digestive is the use of high-grade alcoholic beverages after a meal.

After a hearty meal, Italians like to drink a glass of strong liquor or grappa, a drink made from grape seeds and pomace. Previously, it was considered the drink of the poor, now, on the contrary, it has become highly valued in the world.

Enjoy wine without falling into alcoholism

Before introducing 3-4 times a day of wine into your daily diet, learn the right approach:

when uncorking a bottle, you do not need to drink it all at once, half a glass is enough; the portion is not consumed in one gulp, drink slowly and unhurriedly with a delicious snack and a pleasant conversation; Italians are very sensitive to glasses, each type of wine has its own form, which reveals the taste and aroma of wine; the decanter is also important - a glass decanter for wine, it helps the drink to open up, saturate with oxygen, release sediment; wine for Italians is one of the reasons to enjoy life, not a way to forget.