Wine is one of the best-loved alcoholic drinks in all of history. What makes wine so popular? One of the reasons is surely that there are so many varieties. There are a lot of wines out there, and one is sure to catch your fancy. Here are some smart tips about wine to help you navigate those waters.
Make sure that you drink at least one glass of wine a day with one of the meals that you have. Wine is great in helping with your heart, especially red wine. Do not drink too much though, as excess wine can cause you to feel groggy and can hurt your health.
If you are looking for a good deal on wine, try to purchase it from the rack at a liquor store. Generally, you will find that these are the items that are on sale or the dealer wants to get rid of the fastest. The quality of these wines has not dissipated though, so you can score a great deal this way.
Find someone else who enjoys wine. It could be an employee at a store you go to often or an online blogger or critic whose opinion you respect. This individual can help you figure out what to try next, particularly if you are stuck in the rut of simply drinking the same thing over and over again.
Keep your own preferences in mind when buying wines. Professionals will offer different opinions, but it all boils down to your specific taste. If you prefer a cheaper bottle of wine, that is what you should drink. Your goal should be to find something you will like.
Even though white wines should be thoroughly chilled when you drink them, you should avoid storing them in a refrigerator for weeks at a time. The best thing to do is to keep them at room temperature and refrigerate them an hour or two before you plan on serving them.
Do not write a certain wine off just because a wine tester does not like it. Just like with many other beverages, certain wines require an acquired taste. Even if he or she does not like it, you may find it to be to your liking. See if you can get a sample of it before buying a bottle.
You can easily make a mulled wine with only a few ingredients. You will need a bottle of red wine such as Merlot, Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon, a peeled and sliced orange, a quality brandy, honey or sugar and a few spices including whole cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Combine your ingredients into a slow cooker. Then, heat for 30 minutes and enjoy!
When ordering wine at a restaurant, you should not spend too long looking at the list. If you are having diner with someone who knows a lot about wines, they will assume you are not familiar with the wines you see on the menu. It is best to choose within ten minutes.
Expensive wines should not be your exclusive choice. If you are really looking to find new wines that meet your tastes you should experiment with wines from all price points and ratings. Sticking with expensive wines is a waste of money and could prevent you from finding the perfect wine for you.
If you go to a restaurant with a sommelier, do not hesitate to ask for help when choosing your wine. The sommelier will know everything about the wines on the menu and will even be able to make a personalized recommendation if you let them know what kind of wine you usually enjoy.
You should know how to peel labels from wine. A simple way is to put your bottle in an oven, allow it to heat up, grab it with a pair of mitts, and begin peeling from the corner.
Ask questions and start discussions about wine amongst your friends. You will be surprised by how many things your friends know about wine that you were not aware of. This can help you to not only build your information base with wine but to try new brands and types of wine as well.
If you want to visit a winery, you should know that the wine you buy and bring home will not taste like the wine you tried at the winery. The wine offered to visitors is often never put into bottles and the wine you buy will change during your trip home.
It will be a lot easier to talk about wine with other connoisseurs if you master their vocabulary. There are specific words used to describe flavors and colors. You also need to familiarize yourself with different regions and wineries. Have an expert explain these terms to you and present you with a selection of wines to illustrate different examples.
If you are not sure of what type of wine, you like, it would be a good idea to go to a wine tasting. This will give you the opportunity to taste a large variety of wines without having to spend a lot of money on entire bottles you may not like.
Don’t order wine by the glass if you are out to eat with a group of friends. Keep in mind that one bottle contains about six glasses, so you can share it with friends. This will reduce the amount that you spend during the night.
With these tips in your mind, you are going to be better equipped when you are standing looking at the shelves of wine in a store. You can make finest choices, and perhaps you can even find a wine that becomes your new favorite. Use the information here to help you.
