Here’s a rich-people problem for you: What to do when your wine cellar is a few degrees colder than is really ideal, especially for bigger bodied reds. Enter the Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, written by Tom Stevenson and first published in 1988. It’s now in its fourth edition, and for “taking the chill off” of red wines, the text recommends (get this!) microwaving the bottle. Yep. On medium power for 60 to 90 seconds. But don’t get it any warmer than 65 degrees! Along with the technique of “hyper-decanting” wine using a blender that’s laid out in Nathan Myhrvold’s Modernist Cuisine, you now have two party tricks up your sleeve for your next dinner party that are sure to appall your wine-loving guests. (Now, if we could just figure out a way to saber Champagne with a Cuisinart we’d be all set.)
Below, for your edification, the excerpt on serving wine from the Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, 4th Edition, page 45.
[via ShitMySommSays/Twitter]
