Merlot 101

i have a red wine.. merlot to be exact.. and want to know how to serve it.. i know jus below room temp but?

should i open it now... 4 hours before im gonna serve it.. should i keep it upstairs where its warmer or in the basement where its a lil colder... jus tell me what to do ya'll also should i open it so it can breath.. if so when should i

Public Comments

1. leave it in basement till a few minutes b4 serving or you can just put it in the kitchen it does not matter .
2. Leave it in the kitchen. It does not need to breathe.
3. I think you should keep in the basement, but bring it out about 20 minutes before you serve it. Open it up when you bring it out (20 mins before serving) to let it breathe.
4. Basement is good for storage, but wont make a diffrence to the taste of the wine if your about to drink it. Colder serving temperatures can make reds easier to take. If it is a young bottle, relax and drink... If it is old, consider decanting not just to remove sediments (if there is) but also to air the wine as you poor into the decanter. Breathing out of the bottle is a bit of a silly myth. Swirling in the glass before sipping will do much more than having the cork out of the bottle for an hour.
5. Personally, I would throw it in the fridge about 20 minutes before drinking it. And, I like to decant wines. It can turn a $20 bottle of wine into a $40 bottle of wine in 30 minutes. If that's not an option, pour the wine just before dinner to let it aerate for about 15-20 minutes.
6. First, allow me to compliment you on your choice of wine. Merlot is a very tasty wine, and some wineries are better than others, but still it's an awesome choice. As to how to serve it... well, that's a personal thing. If you like your drinks chilled, then serve it chilled. If you prefer your drinks on the warmer side, then serve it at room temperature. There really is no need to let the wine "breathe". It will get enough air into it when it's poured into the wine glass and swirled a little. (Swirling actually does introduce air into the wine, but it also makes it look like you're a wine snob, and might be impressive to your date.) No matter your choice... chilled or room temperature, enjoy it. That's what wine is made fore... pure enjoyment.