You may enjoy drinking wine at home, but how much do you really know about serving it to your guests? If you want to learn how to properly serve reds, whites, and even dessert wines at your next dinner party at Avana Stone Canyon, check out these simple tips.

• Invest in a good set of wine glasses. They don’t have to be expensive (many closet less than $5 a piece), but having the proper wine glasses is the first step toward serving great tasting wine. Choose tulip-shaped glasses with stems or without, and make sure that they’re made of real glass to avoid that plastic taste.
• Clean the glasses. Before serving wine, clean your glasses thoroughly by hand using simple dish soap and hot water. Rinse thoroughly before using.
• Serve at the proper temperature. If you’re serving light white wines or sparkling wines, keep them at a cool 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Full-bodied whites, such as chardonnays, and lighter reds should be served at 50 to 60 degrees, while red wines and ports should be served at 60 to 65 degrees.
• Keep it at the proper temperature. Keep your wine tasting great all night by using an ice bucket for white wines. Red wines can simply sit on the counter to stay at room temperature.

25 Tips on How to Serve Wine [Bauduc Blog]
Organic Wine Serving Tips [Frey Vineyards]
How to Serve Wine 101: Tips on the Perfect Serving Temperature [Wine Spectator]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Rorals

San Antonio residents can enjoy the beauty of nature at Phil Hardberger Park. Located on more than 300 acres of former farmland, this open space has been untouched for so long that some of the trees have been around since before Texas was a state! The Voelker family ran a dairy farm on this land for years, and you can still walk around and see what farm life was like at the preserved Main House, the original 1800s homestead and dairy barn.

Walker, hikers, and bikers will enjoy the trails, which will take you through the natural landscape. Bird watchers should bring some binoculars, as the untouched areas are a natural haven for all sorts of feathered friends. Open areas are nice for bringing a picnic, and your favorite pooch will love a romp in the big dog park.

Phil Hardberger Park
13203 Blanco Road
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 207-3284
www.philhardbergerpark.org
www.yelp.com/biz/phil-hardberger-park-san-antonio

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/T.Kiya

Looking for a relaxing way to spend some time in nature in San Antonio? Visit Brackenridge Park, a popular local attraction with more than its fair share of natural beauty. This unique park contains a small zoo, trains, gardens and playgrounds throughout its spacious grounds, offering something for visitors of all ages and even the whole family to enjoy all at once.

Start your visit by strolling through the Japanese Tea Gardens, which are completely free of charge. Here you’ll see stone structures that showcase Japanese architecture and lush, green vegetation that is native to Japan. Next, take the train for a ride to see the various other gardens in the park, stopping once you arrive at the historic Donkey Barn. Complete your visit with some playtime on the playground, a stroll through the zoo, or a picnic in a pavilion!

Brackenridge Park
3910 N St Marys St
San Antonio, TX 78288
www.yelp.com/biz/brackenridge-park-san-antonio

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr russellstreet