This Wine Expert Says You've Been Holding Your Wine Glass All Wrong

A chilled glass of rosé​ is one of summer's greatest pleasures, but it wouldn't be the same served warm. (Most wines, in fact, are best served below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, much lower than room temperature.) So why are so many of us tampering with the precious serving temperature once the vino's in its serving vessel?

It's because we're unaware of the mistake we're making, says Anthony Giglio, the resident Wine Wise Guy at Food & Wine.​

"There's a rod of glass between the base and the bowl of a wine glass for several reasons, and the absolute most important of those is to keep your 98.6-degree hand away from your properly chilled wine," writes Giglio.

We're not sure what this means for stemless glasses (that they should be avoided altogether, perhaps?) but stemmed glasses should be held by the stem. Hold it towards the base, using your thumb, index finger, and middle finger and allowing your other fingers to rest on the base. Another option is to make a loose fist and balance the base on your index finger, using your thumb as a lever to hold it in place. (Need a visual? This guide from Wine Folly helps.)

That means no cupping the bowl of your Bordeaux glass or gripping the top of a champagne flute, warns Giglio—he doesn't care if you've seen any Real Housewives stars doing otherwise.

​(h/t TIME)