How to Choose Wine
Kenneth Elliott
November 19, 2009
Like everything learning how to choose wine will take time and effort. Effort will come in reading about the subject and educating yourself of the many ways to judge a wine. That being said I am sure that you have found out that there are countless books that have been read on the subject of choosing the right wine and if you want to really be a professional about it you will have to spend countless hours preparing yourself for the subject. This article is not meant to provide every step in choosing the very best wine, but it is more meant to give you a crash course in choosing wine and directing you where to find more information. That being said here are a few steps when choosing a wine for your next dinner.
Step 1 - Where the wine is made matters. This can be said for a lot of instances. Prize horses come from winning stock. A prize pig comes from a prize winning sow; the same is true for wine. There are a lot of wine makers that produce wine that would make you do a double flip, but there are even more makers who should not even be in the business. So, step one buy from the best. In the United states the best known regions to purchase wine would be from Napa Valley and Sonoma counties, as well as Oregon. If you are traveling outside of the United States then look for wines that come from French areas like Bordeaux and Burgundy regions.
Step 2 - What Grape Types work? The grapes that work with wine are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Each of these produce a certain type of wine and taste. Some of the tried and true wines that go great with dinners are Chardonnay grapes, Zinfandal and Merlot. The Zinfandal is a stronger wine than the Chardonnay and Merlot, if has more of a spicier taste so I would not recommend it with spicy food. It should pair more with more mild food like fish or any seafood. It also goes well with steak.
Step 3 - Understand vintages - Wines that age longer tend to get zestier. Also, some years were better than others. A good vintage bottle will show the age for which the wine was produced. From this age you can reference it in a wine pocket guide that will provide the lowdown of what happened in that year in the wine industry. This will give you a better idea as to if the wine was a good year.
Step 4 - Understand pricing - A lot of people will say that a more expensive wine will taste better than the less expensive wines. Well, this is not always true. There are some stinkers that have been aged for years and are exceptionally expensive. So, unless you really know the producer and have frequently brought their wines and enjoy their taste don't rush to purchase these brands. The less expensive brands could taste even better.
These are very basic characteristics for purchasing wines. If you want to know more on this subject I suggest that you spend some time at your local book store and purchase a few books to really do an in-depth study.
When you purchase your next bottle of wine try a crystal decanter. The decanter will help to bring out the taste in your wine with a bolder flavor. A wine aerator will help also.
Step 1 - Where the wine is made matters. This can be said for a lot of instances. Prize horses come from winning stock. A prize pig comes from a prize winning sow; the same is true for wine. There are a lot of wine makers that produce wine that would make you do a double flip, but there are even more makers who should not even be in the business. So, step one buy from the best. In the United states the best known regions to purchase wine would be from Napa Valley and Sonoma counties, as well as Oregon. If you are traveling outside of the United States then look for wines that come from French areas like Bordeaux and Burgundy regions.
Step 2 - What Grape Types work? The grapes that work with wine are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Each of these produce a certain type of wine and taste. Some of the tried and true wines that go great with dinners are Chardonnay grapes, Zinfandal and Merlot. The Zinfandal is a stronger wine than the Chardonnay and Merlot, if has more of a spicier taste so I would not recommend it with spicy food. It should pair more with more mild food like fish or any seafood. It also goes well with steak.
Step 3 - Understand vintages - Wines that age longer tend to get zestier. Also, some years were better than others. A good vintage bottle will show the age for which the wine was produced. From this age you can reference it in a wine pocket guide that will provide the lowdown of what happened in that year in the wine industry. This will give you a better idea as to if the wine was a good year.
Step 4 - Understand pricing - A lot of people will say that a more expensive wine will taste better than the less expensive wines. Well, this is not always true. There are some stinkers that have been aged for years and are exceptionally expensive. So, unless you really know the producer and have frequently brought their wines and enjoy their taste don't rush to purchase these brands. The less expensive brands could taste even better.
These are very basic characteristics for purchasing wines. If you want to know more on this subject I suggest that you spend some time at your local book store and purchase a few books to really do an in-depth study.
When you purchase your next bottle of wine try a crystal decanter. The decanter will help to bring out the taste in your wine with a bolder flavor. A wine aerator will help also.
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