It's not true that wine has to be expensive to be good. The U-Brew has many palatable varieties that cost from $5 and up per bottle when you buy a batch of 30.

White wine, especially in the summer, should be served chilled between 14 to 16 C. You don't want it too cold as that will mask the flavours.

If you're drinking an inexpensive U-Brew or American wine, feel free to serve it as cold as 10C. Champagne should always be chilled, about 7C, as any warmer and the liquid might end up running out of the bottle.

A bottle of red wine should be cool to the touch, but not chilled. Chilled tannins will leave a bitterness in your mouth, something like cold tea would. If the bottle is too warm, your wine will taste flat, so serve a red between 16-18C. Usually you can tell by the feel of your hand, but wine bottle thermometers can be purchased at kitchen stores. A Blush wine should be treated as a white wine and chilled.

Now to taste the wine. Never fill a wine glass, especially red, more than one third full for first tastings. You should hold your glass up to the light and check out the color. White wine ranges from water-colored to bright yellow, where reds go from anemic type "O" to majestic ruby. Hold a white wine glass by the stem as you do not want to warm your wine up any faster than necessary.