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.
Get some Windex ready if you accidentally spill wine on your shirt. It works much better than traditional soap and water does. Use it as soon as you can before the stain sets.
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 find a wine, you enjoy a lot, consider buying a case or two of it. A case of wine is almost always less expensive per bottle than buying each bottle individually. You can keep the wine for yourself and enjoy it on a regular basis, or you can have it on hand to give as gifts.
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.
A good tip if you’re interested in drinking wine is to make sure you serve your wine out of a good glass. You don’t want to serve your guests wine out of something silly and embarrass yourself A good wine glass should be large, have thin glass, and a long stem.
Have an idea of how much you want to spend on your wine in mind before you enter the store. A wine store can be a very confusing space with lots of shelves filled with various varieties. By having a price point in mind before you shop, you can narrow down what you are looking for and walk out of the store without spending too much.
When it comes to the differences between red and white wine, one major element is how they wines are fermented and aged. Red grapes are pressed twice, releasing more tannins and brightening the color of the wine. This is what makes the color so beautiful and the flavor so bold.
Ask if you can taste a few wines before buying. Most wine stores will offer tastings to their customers on a regular basis or set schedule. By trying a few varieties in the store, you can increase your chances of walking out with a bottle you really love. This is a better way to shop than buying blindly.
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.
Look around your local area for good wines. Wine is produced in ALL 50 states. You may find a great vineyard that you can take a day trip to. Supporting your local wine growers is great in itself; however, there are many gems being made right here at home that often go overlooked.
Take the advice of wine critics with a grain of salt since you may have entirely different tastes than they do. Many people rely on critics to give them advice on what wines to select, but they end up disappointed. Only do this if you are sure that you and the critic have very similar palates.
When cooking with wine, remember that the alcohol will evaporate during the cooking process, leaving behind the true taste of the wine itself. For this reason, it is wise to choose a wine that you enjoy the flavor of. If you are cooking with a wine that tastes bad to you, you wouldn’t want to flavor your recipe with it, right?
When you are opening wine, make sure that you do not open it too fast. The sound that you want to get when you open it is not a pop, but a sigh. This will maximize the safety in the room when you are opening your bottle of wine for the evening.
Don’t bother to get expensive wine if you are cooking with it. Most of the wine’s alcohol content cooks off as you make your dish, and the other ingredients will add taste to whatever wine you choose. Save the expensive stuff to drink separately when you sit down to your meal.
Do not hesitate to experiment with wine and food pairings. Experts have a lot of recommendations to share when it comes to serving wine with a meal, but remember that you might not share their appreciation for a certain wine. It is best to try different things for yourself and perhaps give your guests the choice between different wines.
If you are looking for a good wine choice in a restaurant, ask the wait-staff if they employ a wine-waiter. Restaurants pride themselves on their wine lists, so they will be happy to offer suggestions. Tell them what you are having for dinner, and give a price range. The result will usually be a great wine to complement your dinner!
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.
