If you’re like most people, you enjoy having a glass of wine every now and then. However, you are probably not too knowledgeable about this wonderful liquid. There are a lot of things that you can learn to make your experience of wine that much better. Here are some wine tips that will help you.
Make a habit of trying new wines as often as you can. You will have the best chances of finding a wine that suits your tastes if you take the time to experiment with them. Everyone has different tastes, so just because a wine is said to be excellent does not mean that you will enjoy it, so get out there and try them.
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.
Learn the pronunciation of all of the wines that you serve so that you sound as professional as possible when you are around your guests. This can go a long way if you are having a party or get together with friends in your house. There are common names for wine, so get acquainted with the lingo.
Don’t be afraid to play with the temperature of your wine. Some wine is best chilled, while others taste wonderful at room temperature. Experiment a little and see what works best for you and your palate. Be careful, though, with white wine. You don’t want it to be too cold when you drink it.
A good tip when purchasing wine at the supermarket is to know how to pick out the right wine. In the wine aisle, you’ll often find a lot of huge jugs of wine. This type of wine isn’t very good so you’ll want to cross all of those off your list.
If your recipe calls for cooking wine, think twice before purchasing this product, which is found next to the vinegar at your local grocers. Cooking wine contains little or no alcohol, and often contains extra salt and additives that can wreak havoc with a potentially tasty dish. Instead, opt for a wine that does not have “cooking” in its description!
Wine is a great cooking ingredient. Putting red wine into your steak pan can enhance the flavor. White wine pairs well with such seafood items as scallops or fish. Wine in your recipes will better your meals.
As you may already know, if you have an open bottle of wine, the oxygen can start to diminish the taste. However, if you place the bottle inside of the fridge, the cold can help relieve some of the reaction that air causes. This is a temporary fix and the wine will not last long.
When dining out, order your wine by the bottle. Six glasses of wine are in a bottle, so share a bottle instead. You can save money and may even find a new favorite.
Make sure that you have reservations if you plan to go wine tasting. It’s often believed that reservations aren’t needed at many of these public tastings, but that isn’t the case. Nothing is worse than showing up at the venue and being turned away without a reservation.
When in doubt, choose a Pinot Noir. This is a particular red wine that has a medium body, which can be combined with all kinds of food. Each bottle of Pinot Noir is different; however, it has a flavor that appeals to almost everyone. Therefore, it’s one of the best choices you can make.
The Internet has once again come through to make the job easier and buying wine will never be the same again. You can now turn on your computers and shop the local and distant venues without leaving the home. This is perfect for when you have a selection in mind or don’t want to make the trip.
Wine can be saved. Once you finish drinking from the bottle for the evening, close it back up and refrigerate it. The wine should be good for about a day. If you leave it out at room temperature, however, it will eventually go bad because bacteria can grow. There are no hard and fast rules about how long wine is good for, so use your palate to guide you and refrigerate as soon as you know you are finished drinking.
Join an online group for wine lovers. You can get advice in almost real-time about a wine you might be thinking about. You can get information about wine in general. A group can help you get a deeper understanding of what wine is all about, so that you can enjoy it even more.
When you are pouring your wine, try not to fill your glass up to the top. You only want to fill your glass about a third of the way to the top. This will allow the wine to mix properly and swirl so that the flavors can develop into their full richness.
Now that you have more information about wine, you can show off. Talk to other people about your new knowledge, and buy wines based on what you now know. You will discover that wine tastes better when you know something about it, and you can have a much better time with it.
