Not every bottle of wine is the same, of course. Each unique flavor profile is what gives a wine its personality. It’s important you have a good wine knowledge before you take your next sip, so keep reading to learn all you can from the great expert advice listed below.
There are wines from all over the world, so try them all out. You can drink a Canadian wine from Niagara, one from California or one from France. Test all the different regions until you find those you like the best. Whether it is Italy or South Africa, you’ll find the perfect selection.
If you drink wine for its health benefits you should stick with red wines. Red wines are full of antioxidants and are believed to promote optimal heart health when you drink it in moderation, ideally one glass a day. Other wines may have the same benefit in varying degrees, but red wine is definitely the best choice.
Read up as much as you can on wine through books and magazines. In these works, you will find that some of the best wine connoisseurs in the world rate some of the most popular wines. This will help you to decide what wines you want to buy if you have yet to try them.
Keep in mind that an expensive wine is not necessarily good. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to wine and you should not force yourself to drink expensive wines to appear sophisticated. There are plenty of delicious wines you can find at an affordable price. Try different varieties until you find something you really enjoy instead of judging wines in function of their prices.
All wines do not taste good while at the same temperature. White wines are better when they are cold, while red wines should be a little below room temperature. Drinking them at the wrong temperature can change the way they are supposed to take, which may change your overall opinion.
Look at the entire wine store. Do not just stay in one aisle. Some stores are better organized than others, and you may even find some great deals in a section that you may not normally look in. Take some time to explore it. Surveying the store can help you avoid missing anything.
You can make amazing pairings with your favorite wine. For example, you can pair a Chardonnay with either Gouda or Provolone. For stronger cheeses, such as Cheddar, opt for a Cabernet such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc. Zinfandel wines go beautifully with the more delicate cheeses such as Feta and Gouda.
Always pursue variety in your wine buying. Experiment by trying new wines, and learn about other countries and their wines. Check the cards on the shelves, ask a seller for recommendations or pick a wine at random. Experimenting with and learning about different wines can help you find one that you love.
While some types of wine get better with age, others behave quite differently. Keep this in mind before you prepare to stash a bottle away. Do some reading on the wine that you purchase and how long it can be stored. Bordeaux, for example, ages very well.
Visit a wine region. To have a full appreciation for the way the grapes taste, it helps to locate where they’re harvested. This gives you the right knowledge to discern and explain wine to others. Also, you can truly appreciate the beauty of the area where they were grown.
Listen to wine experts, but do not allow them to dictate what you do. Any reputable wine expert readily acknowledges fallibility. What they like might not be what you like. It is important to trust your own tastes, also.
If you need to find a wine for an important occasion such as a wedding, it is best to have a small wine tasting party beforehand. Invite some of the guests and have them try different wines. Give them a large selection to choose from and do not hesitate to offer different options at the actual event.
Take notes on any wine that you try out. You aren’t going to really know what you are doing at first. However, over time, you will start noticing specific trends in your notes and reactions. You might even see that your reaction to particular wine’s changes as you drink more of them.
When cooking with wine, let your recipe help guide your choice. If you are simply using wine to de-glaze a pan, a splash of just about anything will do. However, if wine is a main ingredient, such as in Coq au Vin, you may want to splurge a little to do the dish justice.
If you are new to selecting wines, start off at a store that carries bottles under $20. Wine shops geared toward connoisseurs may have a lot of expensive and confusing choices. Opt for the lower priced wine until you’ve found your favorite flavor and then take it from there.
There is lots of wine information online about things like the flavors, types, people that serve it, and the years. You can even print the web pages out so you can find the best wine. Use your notes and the clerk’s recommendation to make the best choice.
Making sure a Spanish wine is kept fresh is easily done, but there are different methods depending on its type. Most people usually drink Rioja around here, and this will stay good up until 7 years after it is bottled. Store it in a cool, dark area until you are ready to enjoy it!
With the knowledge you’ve gained here, you should be able to move forward and impress others with your great wine knowledge. Take the time to continue reading on this site and others to broaden your horizons. You’ll never look at wine the same way once you know as much as you can!
