French Wine Etiquette Decalogue

“Don’t heat red wine, but don’t ice it either. The room temperature should be attained naturally, not artificially.” 

Or... the 10 Commandments of Wine Etiquette

PARIS (UPI) The following “Thou shalt nots” of the book of wine etiquette should be carefully memorized by those interested in genteel drinking. This wine “Decalogue” has been prepared by the Paris Institute of Wine and Gastronomy, founded by Carl E. Ullern, a Frenchman, and Frank C. Nesbit, an American. The wine commandments are based on the best French practice; they contain a number of “Shalts” as well as “Shalt nots,” which are as follows: 

1. Never shake a wine. 
2. Never put ice in wine, red or white. 
3. Don't mix wine from two bottles in the same decanter, or in the same glass. 
4. Don’t heat red wine, but don’t ice it either. The room temperature should be attained naturally, not artificially. 
5. Use extreme care in decanting red wines. 
6. Serve all wine in sufficiently large glasses, about half full. 
7. White wines, which should be chilled or iced, are generally served with hors d’oeuvre, soup or fish. 
8. Red wines should be served with roast fowl or game—all red meats. 
9. Champagne should be chilled rather than iced, and can be served throughout the meal. 
10. Precedence: dry before sweet, in the white wines; light before heavy, as regards alcoholic content, for the red. – Paris, 1934

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia