You don’t need to exhaust yourself searching any further when it comes to learning more about wine. You’ve found the right place, and you’re about to find out how much wine comes in handy. Whether you’re a drinker or not, wine is something that can find its way into any household.
Avoid buying trendy wines. You may hear a lot of buzz about a new wine; however, this does not make it right for you. Just because a celebrity is seen drinking a wine, this does not make it noteworthy. The real truth is in researching the wine itself and knowing if it suits your palate.
Take a trip out to a vineyard. If there is one located close to you, make it a day trip. If not, consider taking a short vacation to go out and explore. An adventure such as this may help you appreciate and love wine even more than you did before.
When buying wine as a gift, consider pairing it with food of some sort. A nice basket containing some chocolate and wine or fine cheese and wine makes a wonderful gift. It gives the recipient some meal ideas, and can provide for a wonderful atmosphere at a festive event.
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.
If you are venturing into trying new wines, it is better to get an experimental bottle over a whole case. Given the wide variety of wines and styles out there, single educational bottles are a great idea whenever drinking something new for the first time. If you like the taste, move up to a half-case.
When serving wine for parties, open the Merlot and Cabernet a half hour before the party starts. This will allow the wine to make contact with the air and start “opening up.” As reds are exposed to the air, oxygen allows the tannin and flavors to activate and become more robust.
Find someone who can help you identify wines to try. This can be either a merchant who earns your trust through good recommendations, or a wine expert who seems to have a palate close to your own. Their ideas can keep you trying new wines without just picking bottles randomly.
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 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.
Try having some merlot with your steak. The fat and umami flavors found in steak, especially medium-rare or rarer, need acidity to cut through their flavor profile. Red wine is already a popular pairing for meat. The heavier acidity and fruit of merlot can really liven up your steak dish.
White wines should be drunk within the first couple of years they are out. This is true for all white wines, except for Chardonnay. That’s because oak usually is not used when producing white wine. The reverse is true for the many varieties of red wines.
You can find out a lot about wine online, such as the different types and flavors. Never hesitate to print off a good website for easy reference when wine hunting. Ask wine store staff for advice, or your local sommelier, to ensure you get the right label.
Don’t stick to the old rules about which color wine goes with which food. Color is not as important as taste. There are some red wines, like certain pinot noirs, that taste great with fish. Other times, you may find a white wine complements your steak better than a red.
Don’t be afraid to experiment when it comes to enjoying a good wine. Sure, we all have a favorite stand-by, but that doesn’t mean something different cannot be enjoyed as well. If red is your go-to wine, investigate the possibility of a Pinot Grigio tonight or be really daring and try something you’ve never even heard of!
It is very simple to like one flavor, but branch out. Sometimes you will find that wines you never considered are the best ones to try out. The store clerk can be a wonderful resource for finding new and tasty wines.
Wine tasting events are often enjoyable for your entire family. Call ahead and find out more about the event you will be attending. Some wineries will only offer activities for adults, but others will have activities for your children as well.
If you’re about to drink a very young red wine, a recent vintage, hold the stem of the glass and swirl it around. This lets all the flavors, and aromas come out of the wine while oxygen is introduced to the wine itself. This softens the tannins and makes for a great drink.
Do you see now how wine has so many different uses and purposes? It can be a great source of entertainment, whether you drink it yourself or not. Keep in mind that advice you’ve read, and continue to find out more about how you can use wine in your life.
