Wine comes in a wide array of flavors and colors. This is why different people prefer different types of wines for drinking as well as cooking. The flavors vary from tart to sweet and when you pair the right wine with the right meal, it can really make all the difference in the world.
Wine goes extremely well with pasta dishes. To choose the perfect wine remember that red wines work best with heavy sauces such as tomato sauce. Pair white wines with white sauces and salads. For basil pestos and other meatless dishes, you should opt for a complimentary wine such as a rosé.
Keep in mind that the color of the wine is not always the same as color of the grapes that are used to make it. The color results from the process of wine making and it is the skin of the grape used in the process that gives an individual wine its final color.
A lot of wines have foreign names. It is best to familiarize yourself with the pronunciation of these names before you talk with experts about your wine tasting experiences. A wine expert will quickly label you as a novice if you are not familiar with the correct pronunciation of certain names.
Purchase your inexpensive wines from a warmer climate. While there is no one rule for buying wines, in general, those from warmer climates have the most flavor and appeal. Consider France, California and regions in Australia when making your selection. This is a great way to make a quick choice in the grocery store and come home with a bottle that your guests are likely to enjoy.
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.
Inexpensive wine can be quite tasty, contrary to popular belief. Chile is one great region for affordable wine options. Many of their varieties have affordable prices. Lean towards Chilean Cabernets and Sauvignon Blancs to start. Other countries with reasonably-priced wines are Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa.
If you are a wine newbie and you are looking for a wine to try, why not go to a wine tasting? At these events, you can taste many different wines until you find one the best suits your taste. Also, if you find one you like, you can usually purchase a bottle at the same time.
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 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.
Ask questions and start discussions about wine amongst your friends. You will be surprised by how many things your friends know about wine that you were not aware of. This can help you to not only build your information base with wine but to try new brands and types of wine as well.
Drink just the wines you truly enjoy. Sometimes restaurants and bars promote specific brands of wine. These are usually priced up to 20 times wholesale. Therefore, just because a wine is expensive doesn’t always mean it’s better tasting. If you know what wine you enjoy, stick to that variety.
Do not go out and buy cases of wine just because you like the taste of it. Many times people’s tastes change over time, which means that you may not like this particular wine forever. Buying it in bulk may have you stuck with a lot of wine that you no longer like.
Don’t shy away from ordering or buying a bottle of something that you can not pronounce the name of. The clerk is not going to care. If they own the business, they are happy to make the sale. If they just work there, they are watching the clock until the end of their shift and will not remember you in an hour anyway. Don’t deprive yourself of tasting new wines because you can’t speak the name.
If you have a wine bottle that is older than 20 years, make sure that you understand the deterioration process of the cork. Therefore, when you open the wine, there is a good chance that the cork will split or tear. This is a natural process that will happen with almost all wine bottles.
Do not hesitate to experiment with wine and food pairings. Experts have a lot of recommendations to share when it comes to serving wine with a meal, but remember that you might not share their appreciation for a certain wine. It is best to try different things for yourself and perhaps give your guests the choice between different wines.
A good tip if you’re offering wine at a restaurant is to make sure you know how to properly care for the wine. There’s nothing more annoying than ordering some wine by the glass, only to find out that it wasn’t properly cared for and it wasn’t very good because of it.
Buy your favorite wine by the case if you can afford to. Buying by the case can save you hundreds of dollars a year if you drink a lot of one particular wine. This is only a good idea, however, if you are certain that you would buy that much wine over time anyway.
As you now know, wine comes in many different flavors and everyone’s tastes are different. Certain wines paired with certain foods, can really bring out the flavor of both the meal and the drink itself. Apply the advice from this article, and you can pick your next bottle of wine with confidence.