Wine Questions & Answers

Question: What is the proper etiquette when friends bring a bottle of wine for dinner? Should we serve it, or are we supposed to keep it for later?

Answer: If someone brings a bottle as a gift, then that’s what it is. It is entirely up to you what to do with it. However, they may have brought a special bottle they are keen to try, in which case you should open it.

Question: I’ve recently stumbled across a dozen old bottles of wine I found in my attic. Is there any way I can find out how much they are worth?

Answer: The simple answer is that they’re worth as much as someone is willing to pay for them, which may be a little less than how much you see the same wines for sale on www.wine-searcher.com, which should give you a rough estimate.

Question: What’s the best way of preserving a half-full bottle of Champagne?

Answer: It is impossible to reinsert a Champagne cork. Therefore, simply insert a normal cork back into the bottle and then put the bottle back in the fridge. It should be fine the next day.

Question: We were recently driving through France and we noticed workers in the vineyards pruning the vines back to virtually nothing. They left the vines as almost bare trunks. Why is this necessary?

Answer: Yes, it seems pretty brutal...but experience has taught winegrowers that mistreating their vines means keeping them pristine. When the winegrowers prune hard, leaving just a small number of buds on each vine, it massively enhances the quality of the grapes that are produced. Without pruning, the vines would concentrate most of their energies into producing dense foliage with small bunches of grapes that would be unlikely to ripen properly.

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Urban Wine Company's Menu is all about sharing. Expect to find bites like smoked salmon, bruschetta, sushi, and other wine-friendly fare—all reasonably priced—with most items under $15.

Interested in having Urban Wine Company cater your next event? Click here to view our catering menu.

We look forward to serving you!