EXCLUSIVE
A viral wine expert has shared his top tips ahead of Valentine’s Day to impress your date or guests (Image: Decanteroo/Tom Gilbey)
There’s nothing like popping opening a bottle of wine at the end of a taxing week or for a special celebration – but a expert has revealed that you may not be enjoying the taste to its full potential.
Wine connoisseur Tom Gilbey, known as ‘Tom the wine guy’, insists that expensive wine is not necessarily better – but a few simple tricks could make a cheap supermareket bottle feel fancy.
The sommelier, who boasts over 628,000 on , stresses the importance of evaluating the wine rather than the bottle – and insists temperature can impact your taste experience.
Tom, who has teamed up with Decantaroo to provide some insider tips ahead of Valentine’s Day, said if you love Champagne or Prosecco, white or rose wine, it is important to cool it in the fridge. However, cooling it down for too long could impact the taste.
He said: “Yes there is such a thing as too cold, aim for about 8 – 10 degrees.” When it comes to red wine, warmth is what you want and Tom even suggests to use your radiator.
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He added: “With red especially, it’s great to let it breathe a little before you drink it to get those aromas opening up on the palate. Most reds are great at room temperature, if it’s too cold I always pop it on the radiator for a few minutes before opening the bottle”
He also notes that while a bottle of red looks great on a table, if you pour it into a decanter it “looks like you know exactly what you’re doing”, plus it can make a cheap bottle appear expensive.
Tom added: “If you’re scared about looking cheap you can always pop the wine into a decanter or something for when your friends come over.” The viral sensation, who loves sharing his tips online, believes the biggest misconception when it comes to wine is that price means better quality.
Tom commented: “The bigger the price tag, the better the wine. Definitely not the case. There are some absolute gems in supermarket own ranges and some absolute garbage in brands that are very heavy on the marketing, so you’re spending your money on a fancy label rather than what’s in the bottle!”
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Why is temperature important when it comes to wine?
Temperature is a critical factor when it comes to wine because it directly impacts its flavor, aroma, preservation, and the overall wine-drinking experience.
If your tipple is too cold, it can hide flavours and aromas, making the taste flat or overly acidic.
But on the overhand, sipping when it’s too warm amplifies alcohol, dulls acidity, and can make the wine seem overly sweet or out of balance.
With that being said, stick to Tom’s recommendation to drink white wine at just 8 – 10 degrees. Meanwhile, for sparkling wine aim for 3–7°C to enhance crispness and vibrancy.
For rosé wines, shoot for 10-13°C to balance their fruity character with freshness. And when it comes to red, you should aim for around 13–18°C to emphasise flavours while keeping the alcohol in check (lighter reds on the cooler end, fuller or heavier reds slightly warmer).