These Hacks Will Forever Change the Way You Drink Wine

If you're suffering from wine anxiety as a result of a bottle that might be construed as déclassé (i.e. cheap), Adams has a fix for you: don't serve it in the bottle. "Presentation is key," she explains. "Put (good) cheap wine or boxed wine into a decanter for your dinner party. No one will know." What makes a good decanter? That depends, as there are many options based on price points and how seriously you want your wine to breathe.

Pouring a glass of wine may seem like a means to close the gap between that sweet, sweet nectar and your lips, but there is actually relevance in the pour: it makes your wine taste better. "It's all about the pour," Adams says, including how to correctly ration wine to allow it to best express itself. "Fill your glass with just three fingers' worth of wine for optimal swirlability," Adams says. "Bonus: you'll look super legit." This three-finger rule is important as it enables aeration. "Pouring wine all the way up to the top of the glass is a no-no," Adams says. "What are we, animals?" This may sound like bosh, but a glass filled to the brim stifles potential flavor — especially for red wines. Listen to Adams: let your wine breathe like the sophisticated wine connoisseur that you are!

Some prefer their wine to be super cold. There is no shame in this, but there is a way to potentially do it better, without ice and watered-down wine. "Ice cubes in your wine? You do you, boo. Wine is about happiness! But if you want to level up, freeze some cubes of the wine you're serving ahead of time so dilution isn't an issue. I'm looking at you, Rosé-lovers!"

If you end up with questionable wine as a result of wine aisle roulette, there are ways to salvage the undrinkable. This is especially true for reds. "If you're stuck with mediocre, cheap red wine and there are no other options, chill it," Adams says. "Other than making it totally Summer appropriate, chilling a red will mellow its harsh edges and help eliminate any unsavory things about it (and most people drink their reds too warm anyway)." If the chill isn't doing the trick, you can turn bad wine into a cocktail. "Add some fruit and a splash of juice or sparkling water," Adams says. "You've got yourself a dang sangria or spritzer."

Larger bottles in a store might seem like a lush option, but . . . "If you see a liter of wine, get it," Adams says. "Larger bottle equals more wine and usually for the same price as a similar wine in a standard 750 ml-sized bottle." Looking for an example of this? Adams has one to try: "Grüner Veltliner, a fresh white wine from Austria, usually comes in a liter bottle and rarely disappoints." Duly noted.

You may have noticed small knives popping up in wine shops. Why? Because sabering — a fancy way to open Champagne with a sword — has become fashionable. To that, Adams says to "put the kitchen knife down and step away from the bottle. Sabering a bottle of bubbly has become all the rage (and is very fun), but you end up losing a fourth of the wine straight to the ground, and I've seen some gnarly injuries from doing it while already drunk, which is usually when it happens." There are alternatives for adding more pizzazz. "Why not make a Champagne tower instead?" Adams suggests. "Low coupes are best for stacking, and you can totally use plastic ones, but make sure to place the bottom layer on a tray of some sort for any drips. It's a party trick that gets everyone excited and definitely breaks the ice. I'm actually doing it at my wedding too!"

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need any tools or potions to keep an open bottle fresh: all you need is your cork. Adams explains, "To get the most out of your bottle of wine and make sure it keeps fresh for as long as possible, you don't need any fancy bottles stoppers or spray can preservers. My tried and true method is to push the cork as far back into the bottle as possible and put it in the fridge, red or white." While no wine can be kept forever, this does extend drinkability for some time — and costs you nothing. "It should keep for two to three days," Adams says. "But every wine has a different shelf life."