Swirling Wine - Karen MacNeil & Company

March 15, 2024

“Dear Karen, Does it matter which way you swirl a wine—clockwise or counterclockwise?”The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

Dear Triana, Apparently it does not. We could not find any scientific data suggesting that swirling in one direction is better (or even different) than the other. What IS important is that you swirl period. All wines—whites, reds and rosés—“open up” and seem more vivid after being mixed with air. The best way to swirl vigorously (and avoid a dry-cleaning bill at the same time) is to draw quick circles with the glass while keeping the foot of the glass on the table.

—Karen

What country makes the most rosé? The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

A. Italy

B. Spain

C. France

D. United States

Why So Much Italian Wine?

In the United States, most of the wine that’s imported is Italian. In 2025 some 93.2 million gallons of Italian wine were imported into this country. In fact, Italian wine has led US imports for decades, hitting a peak in 2021 with 43% of all US table wine imports. Is it because Italian wine is just so good? I love lots of Italian wine, but I’m sure “goodness” has nothing to do with it. What does? The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.