Serving wine, especially to guests, can be intimidating! This guide is full of basic and helpful wine tips to build your confidence when serving wine. Use this serving guide as a guide and refer back to it when you entertain. Next time you host a wine and cheese party, you’ll be a wine serving pro!
Also, check out our types of wine chart to learn more about the different varieties of wine and how many ounces are in a wine bottle for more info on wine bottle sizes and standard wine pours.
How do you serve wine at a party?
Julia Child once said, “A party without cake is just a meeting.” Well, I believe she would probably say the same thing about wine!
Wine is a must when entertaining. Even when serving cocktails, still have it available for guests. It can be intimating to know what to serve and how to serve it.
Here’s the order of what is typically served first. You don’t have to serve all of this, but even if you serve bubbles and red, you would follow this order below.
Bubbles – If you’re serving sparkling, serve it first and pour about 3-4 ounces in each flute.
White – White wine is second to be served.
Red – Red wine should be served after bubbles and white.
Dessert – Any dessert wines should be served last and you should only serve 2-3 ounces as they are sweet and thicker in texture.
Wine Tips for Serving Wine
How many servings in a bottle of wine?
A typical bottle is 750ml which is about 25 ounces.
How many ounces is a typical glass of wine?
A serving size pour is 5-6 ounces. There are about 4 glasses in one bottle of wine. You will get four 6 ounce glasses or five 5 ounce glasses.
How much wine do I need per person?
This can be a tough question since some guests will drink more and some less. It’s best to always have extra bottles so you don’t run out. Here’s an average hourly calculation.
- 1 hour = 2 drinks
- 2 hours = 3 drinks
- 3 hours = 4 drinks
- 4 hours = 5 drinks
- 5 hours = 6 drinks
Red Wine Serving Temperature
Red should be served at 62-65 degrees.
White Wine Serving Temperature
White should be served 49-55 degrees.
How to Cool Wine Quickly
Wrap the bottle in a wet paper towel and bury it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
Which wines need to be chilled?
Both red and white need to be chilled to the serving temperature. If it’s too cold, like a red you’re about to serve, let it sit for a few minutes to warm up. Rose and bubbles should chill.
These can stay in the refrigerator until served.
Wine Markers and Wine Charms
When you have a few guests over, wine markers are great for keeping wine glasses separated. Here are our favorite wine markers and wine charms:
Wine Markers – Write the guest’s name on each glass with wine markers.
Crystal Magnetic Wine Glass Charms – These jewels are magnets that cling to the wine glass. They also make them as dog faces, which is actually cute! If the guests have a pup, give them one that looks like their dog.
Vacu Vin Classic Grape Glass Markers
The Only Two Glasses you Need
Technically there is a wine glass for every variety! Can you imagine having 200 glasses in your home?! That’s just not practical for home entertaining.
Luckily, you can either buy Bordeaux or Burgundy glasses to serve all wines. You don’t need white and red! We do like to serve bubbles in a flute, so we recommend one glass for reds, whites, and roses and a flute for sparkling.
How to Shop for Wine?
We’ve all been there, standing in the aisle, staring at hundreds of competing labels screaming buy me, buy me! But how do you know which ones to buy?! Well, you start trying them and use apps like Vivino to help you decide.
Also, use Delectable to track what bottles you like and didn’t like through the app. You will quickly build up a good list!
We also love to wine taste and support any local wineries as well. It’s nice because you can taste the bottle before you buy it.
Must Have Wine Tools
Here are the tools we recommend you have on hand when serving wine.
Glasses – Either Bordeaux or Burgundy
Wine Cocktail Recipes
Now that you have some good wine tips and knowledge, it’s time to pour some wine!
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Wine Tips
Ingredients
- 1 Bottle Wine
Instructions
- A typical bottle is 750ml which is about 25 ounces.
- A serving size pour is 5-6 ounces. There are about 4 glasses in one bottle of wine. You will get four 6 ounce glasses or five 5 ounce glasses.
- Red should be served at 62-65 degrees.
- White should be served 49-55 degrees.
- Wrap the bottle in a wet paper towel and bury it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
We hope you’ve learned some basic tips. Please print, save or pin our charming tips for guide and happy serving!
