There are many different subtopics that fall under the topic of wine, including food/wine pairings and choosing an occasion-appropriate wine. There are literally hundreds of books, blogs and websites out there to connect those who adore cooking, drinking and entertaining with wine. Study the information presented here, and you’ll be a wine expert in no time.
Store wine properly to maintain its flavor. Temperatures to any extreme can damage your wine’s taste. Store your wine at 50-55 degrees to allow the flavor time to develop. You may use a cool basement or a wine refrigerator.
Single Bottle
Before deciding on a wine, give it a test drive by buying a single bottle. There are various kinds, and you can’t be sure which ones you’ll enjoy. You will always want to purchase a single bottle before committing to a whole case.
Keep whites and reds in their proper glasses. Whites need a more fragile glass, while red wine can be served in normal wine glasses. Red wines need wider glasses with large mouths. You will get more air in the wine this way and it will warm up.
If a tailgate party is on the horizon, and you plan to bring wine, consider a screw top bottle. They’re simple to open without a corkscrew. In addition, you can easily reseal your screw top bottle whenever you are done. A cork bottle isn’t as easy to reseal, and its seal isn’t as secure.
Not every white wine must be chilled. White wines do differ in texture, and therefore may benefit from a variety of temperatures. Chardonnay and pinot gris, for example, usually taste better when warm.
It is important to know how to peel a wine bottle label off. An easy way to do this is by putting a bottle in an oven and then peel the label when it’s hot.
Try visiting wine country if you enjoy wine. You’ll garner a new appreciation of wine on such a trip. Vineyards are an alternative for shorter visits. This trip can be educational and fun.
Once you have mastered the basics, the rest isn’t all that hard to pick up. There are some guidelines, but it’s mostly preference. Learn the basics of how to select a certain wine with meals, then let your personal taste guide you. Keep what you’ve read here in mind as well.