Step One:<br>Thinking Ahead

Champagne, sparkling wine and white wine are best when served well-chilled. Red wine, on the other hand, is best opened when only slightly cooler than room temperature. To accomplish this:

• Put white wine in the refrigerator at least two hours before you plan to open it. Champagne or sparkling wine can go in even earlier than that.
  

Red wine (really any wine) should not be kept in sunny areas or on top of the refrigerator. Find a cool, dry place where the temperature remains fairly consistent year-round. Generally this means places like dry cellars and basements, as well as less obvious places, such as under the stairs or in ground floor closets. It is important not to disturb wine bottles too much before opening them. Some red wines have sediment which should be allowed to settle to the bottom. Sparkling wines should not be agitated if the server wants any of it to remain in the bottle after opening!

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