From the soil to the glass, there is a lot of work which goes into a bottle of wine. Knowing all you can about wine means enjoying it more than ever. This article has a ton of tips and tricks to make your own wine drinking a much more enjoyable pastime.
Make sure that you drink at least one glass of wine a day with one of the meals that you have. Wine is great in helping with your heart, especially red wine. Do not drink too much though, as excess wine can cause you to feel groggy and can hurt your health.
Attend as many wine tastings that you can during the course of the year. This can be very beneficial for you as it allows you to get an idea of some of the newer wines that are on the market. This will help you to gain a better appreciation for all wine has to offer.
Consider purchasing a wine from a lesser-known region of the world. While everyone gravitates toward wines from France or California, there are great varieties to be found most everywhere! You might find a lovely red wine in North Carolina or a never heard winery in Australia. Give a few a try, and enjoy the variety, they bring to your table.
Attend as many wine tastings as you have time for. Wine tastings introduce your palette to many different styles of wines. And the people who attend these events may also be much more advanced than you in terms of wine knowledge. You can pick their brains to learn even more!
Go to wine tastings when you can. Wine tastings are the best place to test your pallet against the many different types and brands of wine. You can even find some that are free, but do remember to spit your wine. You can not accurately tell the taste of a wine once you begin to become intoxicated.
Expensive wines should not be your exclusive choice. If you are really looking to find new wines that meet your tastes you should experiment with wines from all price points and ratings. Sticking with expensive wines is a waste of money and could prevent you from finding the perfect wine for you.
If you need to find a wine for an important occasion such as a wedding, it is best to have a small wine tasting party beforehand. Invite some of the guests and have them try different wines. Give them a large selection to choose from and do not hesitate to offer different options at the actual event.
For a spring picnic, evening at the race track or other outdoor events during seasonable weather, your best bet is a sparkling wine. Take your pick of bubbly’s like a nice Asti or Champagne and complement it with mild cheese, fresh bread and fruit. Remember to bring flute glasses too, to make the experience complete.
Take notes on any wine you try. if you are really getting into wines, you’ll be tasting dozens of them over the course of the year, easily. It can be tough to keep track of what your impressions are on certain bottles, especially if they shared many similarities with only subtle differences. Making notes will help keep you on track.
Keep a journal just for wine. The easiest way to keep track of the wines that you enjoy and the ones that you do not like is to keep a list of them. You can also include the foods that you drank them with so that you can repeat the experience if you like.
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!
The year that the grapes were harvested is what the word vintage refers to. For example, 2010 wines have grapes that were harvested in 2010. After the grapes were harvested, they were fermented and aged and then the bottling occurred. The bottle of wine would end up in the stores around 2011 or 2012!
Taste wines in an environment free of aromas. If you have food cooking, use candles or have other odors present when you are trying to taste a wine you will not get an accurate impression. Aromas will conflict with the taste and could leave you with a distaste for a wine you may have enjoyed otherwise.
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.
Varietal wines are made from one single type, or varietal, of grape. These types of wines include Pinot Noir and Syrah. In order to be considered wine, it must derive 90% of its juice from a single varietal. Wineries often add an extra ten percent of a different type of grape to make their particular wine unique.
Always smell your wine before you taste it. One reason is that it could be spoiled, which can be easily identified by smelling it, which could save you from getting sick. Additionally, you can also learn a lot about the wine from its aroma, and if you stick with this habit you will begin to identify how over time.
These simple ideas about wine will be sure to guide you on your way to a better glass. When you enjoy wine more, you’ll find you want to seek out more advice, too. In the end, wine will become a great friend who is always true to you when you need them.
