Are you saving a certain bottle of wine for a special occasion that never seems to arrive? Created by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, wine writers for the Wall Street Journal, Open That Bottle Night makes the last Saturday in February just that occasion. Use OTBN as a reason to enjoy that special wine — while it’s still at its prime!
We hope you use this opportunity to pop a special bottle. Let us know about your OTBN plans (click on comment below).
Look here for our report from last year’s OTBN.
Here are some tips for enjoying OTBN:
- Choose the Setting. Alone with a special loved one, at a dinner party with friends, or in a restaurant that permits BYOB.
- Select the Bottle. The important concept is that the bottle of wine or champagne have a special significance, not that it be particularly expensive or prestigious.
- Stand it Up. Sediment sometimes forms inside wine bottles, so you should set the bottle vertical position a few days before OTBN to let it settle to the bottom.
- Watch the Temperature. Both reds and whites are best served at about 55F (12C).
- Watch the Cork. Old wine-bottle corks may crumble during removal. If that happens, pour the wine through a coffee filter into a carafe until all the cork particles are separated.
- Watch the Oxygen. Older, fragile wines are quickly damaged by oxygen in the air. Keep them closed up.
- Have a Backup Wine Available. If your favored bottle has gone bad, you will still be able to enjoy the evening.
- Share Your Thoughts. Everyone should say a few words about the significance of their bottle.
- Give it Time. Gaither and Brecher report that they often hear of bottles of wine that becomes more delicious as the evening progresses.
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