Dial-a-Maid
When determining how much wine to buy for a dinner party, figure on a half bottle per person, says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Company servicing Glenview, Il. If the party is going to last more than three hours or you plan to serve multiple courses, plan on more. If the party is on a Sunday evening or a weeknight, guests will likely consume a bit less.
All wine (still and sparkling) should be stored in a cool, dry place ( never on top of the refrigerator or above the cooktop) with a steady temperature, away from direct sunlight and other sources of heat, such as a radiator or vent. If storing wine for more than a few weeks, rest bottles on their sides: the wine moistens the cork, which expands to maintain an airtight seal.
If you don't plan to serve white and sparkling wines right away, keep them at room temperature. Before serving, shill for about an hour in the refrigerator. To chill wine quickly, plunge the bottle into a bucket of ice water- a half hour in ice water is equivalent to two hours in the refrigerator. Resist the temptation to put wine into the freezer to chill: it's too easy to forget about it, only to remember it too late, once the cork has popped.
Opened bottles of wine can be recorked and refrigerated for three to five days. Before drinking red wine, let it return to room temperature. Sparkling wines can be kept for one or two days: to preserve the bubbles, use a vacuum stopper, available at wine shops and housewares stores.
Wine actually tastes better when it has a bit of breathing room and space in the glass for aromas to gather. So instead of pouring to the rim, fill glasses no more than halfway, then occasionally top them off. All of the above information is in Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook and followed by a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Company servicing Glenview, Il.
