Dear Miranda, Our Business Manager (and ex-sommelier) Tiffany does this too. By coating the insides of the wine glass with the wine, there’s more surface area from which aromas can emanate, amplifying the wine’s flavor. Because most wine glasses have a convex shape, there’s little chance of spilling the wine if you do this carefully. For my part, I like to coat the inside of the glass by vigorous swirling, but both techniques work.

—Karen

A. The medieval French word for a small village, similar to the Old English “burg” 

B. A nomadic German tribe which once settled in the area

C. The Latin word Burgarius which was the name for a Roman province that once extended over most of central France

D. The name for early French rural governing bodies which were made up of noble councilmen who were known as Burrs