Why They Never Fill Your Wine to the Brim at Restaurants
Most people know that it is a faux pas to fill your wine glass to the brim. But most people don’t know the exact reason; is it a social rule, or does it actually serve a purpose?
Well, it does serve a purpose, a couple of purposes actually, and they all lead to a better wine-drinking experience. So listen up and find out exactly why you shouldn’t ever fill your glass to the brim again, no matter how long of a week it has been.
An Overfilled Glass Is a Spilling Hazard
Right off the bat, we will start with the simplest reason that you shouldn’t fill your glass to the brim. It is a major spilling hazard! Especially if you are holding your glass by the stem, a full bowl makes the glass extremely top-heavy and easy to spill.
A Full Wine Glass Cannot Be Swirled
Swirling might seem pretentious, but it too serves a purpose, and being able to swirl your wine can not only change the flavor but will tell you a lot about your wine. Swirling it will age younger wines and muddle the stronger flavors and aromas of more powerful wines. It brings a balance to your wine, making it much more enjoyable.
Likewise, swirling a wine allows you to see the legs. This can tell you the alcohol content as well as the sugar content of your wine.
A Full Glass Keeps the Bouquet From Opening up in the Bowl
The portion of open air above your wine also serves an essential purpose. The open space allows room to swirl the wine so that it can aerate, and you can test the legs as mentioned above, but the open-air also serves as a place for the aroma to gather.
For more delicate wines with softer bouquets, this open space allows the aroma to gather and strengthen within the glass so that when you go to nose your wine, you will get a better sense of all the intricate fruits, berries, and other notes that the wine has to offer.
Rule of Thumb for How Much Wine To Serve in a Glass
