DO you drink wine at home? That's a funny (meaning stupid) question, you may think. Most people do, but it is most likely when they are throwing a dinner party at home. The crux of this question is: "Do you drink wine with your meals when you are NOT entertaining?" And that is a totally different question with a totally different importance. How many of us, what proportion of local wine lovers, have reached the stage in our adoption of western dining culture to the degree when wine is commonly drunk with our meals? Or do we drink wine only when we dine in restaurants, or in wine tastings?

An interesting question. Makes you wonder how far we (Singaporeans) have come in our experience of wine culture. And the honest answer (mine) is (or was) "not usually at home - except when we entertain" - but dining alone with family at home, generally no. But that seems to be changing as I find myself checking the wine fridge for re-corked half-consumed bottles from recent dinners waiting to be drunk up.

There usually are some. I have learnt a lot from drinking wine leftovers. Young wines will improve in the re-corked bottle over a period sometimes even up to a week, depending on the age of wine. And even a mature wine, eg 10 years or more, can (and should) be re-corked as it will remain eminently drinkable over the course of the next two to three days with very pleasant results.