Sep. 06, 2006 - Issue #568: Sex in the City
Nice Legs
A loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and thou
Stefano Farina, Italy, $35
The Sex Issue Big Question: How can a nice bottle of wine, properly served, help you get some?
Think about it: people are damned impressed when their partners make them dinner. The right bottle of wine makes it that much more memorable.
To begin, purchase your selected bottle several weeks before your dinner. Place it in a cool, dark location to help it to recover from bottle shock. This happens during shipping and when stored in shops better suited for our comfort than that of the wine.
Assuming you have selected a red, put it in the fridge for about 40 minutes before you open it. When your guest arrives, open the bottle and pour it into a decanter. (If you do not have one, a carafe will do.) This exposes the wine to oxygen, which helps the wine develop and open up. Plus it is a great show.
Finally, ensure you have proper, bowl-shaped glasses and never fill them more than one third full.
Of course, none of this matters unless you select a nice bottle of wine. A perfect example of wine that would benefit from this treatment is the Stefano Farina Barolo. At less than five years old, it is still very young. Upon opening this light, strawberry-coloured wine, I was enveloped by its rich, vibrant nose.
My first taste was a little light and lacking, but that was to be expected from its youth. I knew that with a little time, it would open up and become more substantial. I was not disappointed.
This wine was robust and full, with a flavour that held through the entire evolution of the taste. Its richness was pleasant but not overwhelming. I tasted this wine with chicken pasta and it added immeasurably to the dish.
The Barolo would have opened more quickly had I decanted it (which is all the more reason to go through the step with a guest). So, when you have someone coming over, make the effort with wine. It will pay off. V
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