A lot of people drink wine, but don’t know a lot about wine. Don’t let that be you. With just a little information, you can be a true wine connoisseur. The following tips are here for that purpose, and can help you know a bit more about the drink you enjoy.
Do not buy large quantities of a wine you like. Your preferences will change quickly as you discover new wines and you might regret spending your money on a wine you will eventually come to consider as average. Purchase small quantities and keep trying new wines to expand your horizons.
Keep in mind that while some individuals are billed as experts when it comes to wine, no one knows everything. Your personal preferences are your own. You may like something that an expert really hates. Make up your own mind and have fun trying new things and experimenting. You won’t regret it!
Simply because a bottle of wine is more expensive than another does not mean that it is necessarily better. You don’t have to buy the most expensive bottles of wine that you find. Try wine at all different price levels. You may like something better that is less expensive than what you usually buy.
A good tip if you’d like to get more into wine is to come to your own conclusions. Everyone’s a critic these days and wine is no exception. If you’re just blindly following a so-called expert’s advice, you’d be doing yourself a disservice. Instead, try to figure out what you like on your own.
Get out of your area of comfort when you buy wine in a restaurant. If you want to impress the people you are having diner with, it is best to choose a wine they will not recognize. They will not have any expectations, and they will not be surprised by the high cost.
If you have a lot of wine in your cellar, you may want to invest in an inventory management system. This will track the types of wine that you have in your cellar and how old they are at a given time. Compartmentalizing wine into a database can make your storage capabilities very efficient.
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.
Look for online forums of people with similar loves for wine. This is especially true if you live in an area that doesn’t have tastings and clubs. It’s important to find a voice among friends with similar interests. Then, you can learn of new wines to try and share opinions on new pairings and more.
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 best enjoyed in a calm environment. Wine pairs best with soothing music, mood lighting and pleasant, but not over bearing smells. Make sure you’re in the right type of setting when you’re judging the wines.
Before visiting your favorite restaurant and mulling over which wine to chose, check out their website. Most fine dining establishments will post their wine list on the site, leaving you plenty of time to investigate the possibilities. Consider your entree in advance and research the wine that will best complement it.
As you know, how you chill your wine can affect the taste as well as the aroma. However, wine is best served cold before a special occasion. Store the bottle of wine in a bucket filled with ice. This will chill the bottle in thirty minutes and it will be ready for serving.
If you identify a strong aroma of caramel, smoke, nuts or even vanilla when tasting a wine, keep in mind that these aromas are there because of the oak barrels used to store the wine. These aromas will not be as strong if you drink the same wine from a bottle.
If you want to discover new wines, plan on going to wine tastings. Try to attend as many different tastings as you possibly can. A wine tasting is the perfect opportunity to learn more about wine. Spit after you taste the wine so that you do not become overwhelmed.
Treat wines as you would a condiment when considering pairings. If your meal would benefit from adding pepper, find a red wine that is peppery to go with it. If butter or lemon fits better, find a wine that is light. This way you’ll always have a lovely pairing.
If you are going to open a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne, you need to hold the bottle at about a 45 degree angle. Make sure that you are not facing anyone or any breakable objects because the cork could injure someone or break something. Try to hold the top of the cork and twist so that it does not fly through the air when opening.
This may not always be true, but in some cases wines that contained mixed grapes, often suffer in taste as well as quality. Sometimes grapes for a particular vintage may become mixed with other grapes to ensure the supply. However, the quality of these grapes may not always be equal to the proper counterparts.
No one can be a conoisseur overnight, but now that you have these tips you are that much closer to being a wine pro. Just use the tips in your everyday life to help you think of wine in a new way. You will be sure to be rewarded; enjoy!
