Too often, wine is a beverage that gets overcomplicated. Yes, there are thousands of wine grapes, regions and brands out there, but it shouldn’t be a difficult task to buy and enjoy something so delicious. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy every wine experience Remember there are no rules, only guidelines, and rules are meant to be broken!
Take it to the glass
The best way to experience a great bottle of wine is with a large, long stemmed, thin crystal glass with a slight curve inward at the top—18-to-22 ounces is the optimal size. This size has the perfect weight and feel, and will allow ample space to swirl and let the aromas soar out of the glass. Bigger glasses also remove the need to decant most wines that require some airtime. Recommended glass brands include Riedel, Spiegelau and Fusion. These terrific glassware brands can be found at wineenthusiast.com
The right stuff
There are thousands of grapes, wineries and wines to choose from, many of which are made in very small quantities from tiny farmers. These wines are often the most fun and pleasurable to drink and offer the best bang for the buck. Established wines like Bordeaux, Champagne, Super Tuscans, California Cabernet and Chardonnay can often be a bit over priced due to demand and status. Try looking off the beaten path for wines from emerging wine regions and unusual grape varieties. Check out juicy red wines from South America like Chilean Carmenere and Argentinean Malbec, earthy and rustic reds from southern France such Madiran and Languedoc, fresh and exotic whites from southern Italy like Falanghina and Fiano, and spirited sparklers from Italy and Spain such as Prosecco and Cava.
Sommeliers: The wine coach
If you want the best drinking experience in a restaurant, buddy up with the sommelier or wine buyer. Most top tier restaurants have a sommelier or wine savvy waiter on hand to help guests through their meal. It’s best to establish a rapport with them as soon as you are seated. The sommelier has the keys to the wine kingdom and can take your night from ordinary to extraordinary. Ask for wines that may be off the list and maybe wines that are new to the list and from lesser known regions and grapes.
Drinking large at home
When stocking your home cellar, buy by the case and make sure to mix and match bottles as you will usually receive a discount of up to 15-20%. Also, don’t be afraid to look around online for some harder to find bottles and great 24-hour flash websites for some incredible deals. Check out these sites: winesearcher.com, cinderellawine.com, and lot18.com
Screwtops versus corks
Many people have the notion that wines bottled with screwtops are of lesser quality. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Screwtops came about as a way to protect the consumer from having bottles that could be afffected by TCA, aka Cork Taint, that can sometimes be found in natural corks. Don’t be afraid to pick up a bottle if it’s with a screwtop, especially for everyday drinking wines.
Keeping cool
Point blank, white wines are often served too cold and red wines too warm. How do you give this a quick fix at home? Try serving whites by pulling them out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes before you serve it to allow the wine to warm up. Serving whites too cold suppresses their flavors. For reds, put the wines in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving. A slight chill on reds brings out their freshness and delicate flavors. Reds that are served too warm will exacerbate the alcohol.
Storing wine
If you plan to collect or store bottles of wine, it’s best to invest in a wine storage system of some sort, whether it’s a full-on cellar or something like a Eurocave system (eurocave.com). There are many options out there, but for the casual drinker it’s important to keep your wines in a cool, dark place like a basement or bottom of the closet. The worst thing for wines is hot temperature and direct sunlight, so keep your bottles hidden away if you want them to drink well.
Preserving wine
What happens when you only want to have a glass or two of wine and you want to keep the bottle for the next day? Very simple answer. Grab a Vacu Vin wine saver pump system, then put the wine in the fridge overnight. The Vacu Vin will suction out any oxygen, which deteriorates the wine quickly as it’s opened. Putting it in the fridge will further slow down the process of development. Pull the wine out of the fridge 15 minutes before you want to enjoy a glass and it should be good as new. Most wines can only last a day or two at most.
