Do you feel like you’re out of the loop when it comes to entertaining or cooking with wine? Perhaps you don’t know what is good, or perhaps you’re not sure about correlating your use of wine with the foods you eat. Learn more by reading this article, and find out more about wine.
To choose the best wine to compliment any meal you must know what type of wine goes with the different types of meat. One of the easiest ways to remember which wine to choose is to match the color wine with the color of meat. For example, most red wines pair beautifully with red meat such as beef; while white wines work well with white meats like fish or chicken.
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.
Never cook with a wine that you do not enjoy the flavor of. When wine cooks down during the cooking process, it concentrates. Any flavors that you do not like will be more prevalent, which means you will not like the taste of the food you have worked so hard to prepare.
Select the right glasses when tasting wine or serving it. It is best to use a clear glass so you can look at the color of the wine. Choose a glass with a long stem and a round shape so you can easily swirl the wine. You should avoid using glasses that can contain more than twenty two ounces.
If you plan to learn about and collect wines, invest in proper storage. Wine is best when kept in a cooler, more humid environment. Many people prefer to build out a basement or cellar for storing wine. However, if your needs are smaller, there are many options for in-home storage on the market.
Bring along your wine resources with you to the store. There is so much information on wine out there, and bringing along different source materials can help you make better choices. Items like brochures, magazines, books, and websites have great information to pick the best wine for your plans.
In order to reuse a bottle, or for easier recycling, be sure you know how to remover the label from an empty bottle. A simple way to do this is to heat the bottle in an oven for a few minutes, then use an oven mitt to remove the label.
Take a look at how your wine is stored in the store. In a wine store, wine will be stored in the exact lighting and temperature required to keep that wine tasting its best. When you get home, try to mimic those conditions to the best of your ability until you drink the wine.
Sign up as a member of an Internet wine forum. You can learn so much from experienced sommeliers, or even someone who has only a bit more experience than you do. In fact, you might find that you can contribute to the discussion as well. You might find a wine you really love based on a suggestion.
Allow yourself to be a little adventurous when shopping for wine. While it is really easy to stick to the tried and true wines from France or California, there are some fantastic varieties to be found all over the world. By stretching your boundaries just a little, you might find a wine that you really love!
When you taste a wine, start by slightly leaning the glass in order to see the wine’s color. Swirl the glass lightly and put your nose near the aperture to breathe in the wonderful scent. The next step is to sip the wine, just a little will do, and then spit it out.
Let any recently uncorked wine breathe for a bit. Giving the wine time to settle helps bring out the rich flavors of the beverage. Use a decanter for this. Pour the wine into one and then let it sit for about a quarter of an hour. You’ll find the wine much more delicious after doing so.
Before you drink a wine, allow it to breathe. Use a carafe or decanter for serving. Add a little wine to the container. After the wine is poured, wait 10 minutes before imbibing. See how it tastes compared to drinking it right out of the bottle. There should be a marked difference between the “straight from the bottle” sample and the one that was allowed to sit for a while.
If you are buying wine for a large party and are not sure what to buy, let statistics be your guide. Approximately, seventy-five percent of people are known to prefer red wines. While it is always a good idea to have white wines on hand, having primarily red wines is a good idea unless you know your guests prefer otherwise.
If you are entertaining guests, you should choose the wine you serve in function of the meal you prepared. A Sauvignon, a Merlot or a white Zinfandel is an excellent choice if you are serving beef, but you should choose a Pinot or a Cava if you are having seafood.
Next time you go to buy a bottle of wine, whether to entertain socially or use to cook, you should be more equipped with the right knowledge. Use what you’ve learned here to make things easier on you. Wine can be used to impress, and you now have the tools.
