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Drinking Wine: where do i start?
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surfsatwerk
Lifer
Step 1: Cut a hole in the box.
BoomerD
No Lifer
Let's not forget that favorite of winos everywhere...MD20-20!
Pegun
Golden Member
Op, where are you located. The way I got into drinking wines is by going to New York Wine and Culinary Center and doing a wine tasting of almost 30 different wines. If you have someplace similar or a number of wineries in your area, try going to them and asking for a tasting.
bobdole369
Diamond Member
I'll share what I know in order to assist the OP:
Wine from different regions of the world, has different qualities.
"Old world regions" are typically "drier" i.e. most europeans, south Africa.
old "vine" vs. new "vine" means that old vines that survived the blight of the 1850's, where grape phylloxera destroyed most of the crops. New vines are those planted after that era. Old vine is typically the driest of all.
"New world regions" are typically "sweeter" i.e. USA/California, New Zealand/Australia.
In the USA, wine is typically named after the kind of grapes used:
i.e. red wines:
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
Pinot Noir
White wines:
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Sauvignon Blanc
Typically white wine is fruitier, a bit less pungent, a bit more sweet
Typically red wine is nosier (smells run deeper, more fragrant), more acidic, drier.
Not to say acidic white or very sweet reds don't exist.
Different wine goes with different food - typically reds with meat, whites with fish and veg. THis is a whole subject unto itself.
Start by storing well - at about 50-60 degrees, in the dark, 50% humidity. Not cold enough to be a fridge, not warm enough to be out in the open, on its side, with wine contacting the cork.
Serve at the appropriate temp, red should be served warmer than white.
I watched a special on how to "taste" wine.
1. Uncork by using a corkscrew. Learn to use it well. Smell the cork. Smell the wine from the bottle. Note the differences. Try and pick out components in each from the bottle and cork.
2. Pour a glass. Warm the wine with your hand. Put your sniffer deep in the glass and inhale an entire lungful. Exhale and concentrate on both inhale/exhale. Again try and ID whats in the mix.
3. Have yourself a small sip. Roll it around in your mouth and swallow. Blow across your tongue and exhale. This should give you another idea of the flavor profile.
4. Take a full mouthful point your head down and inhale a lungful of air ***through*** the mouthful of wine. Bubble through it. Swallow (or spit if your a wine judge or at a tasting) and exhale across your palate again. This should be your ultimate in flavor profile.
5. You should be able to note 4 different sections in the flavor profile, nose (smells), head (at the beginning - the instant the wine touches your tongue), body (the majority "center" portion of the taste), tail (or finish) (the bit after you swallow or spit).
An average person should be able to identify at least one particular flavor note in each section of the wine.
All being said, as far as "what you like" or "a good wine" - its all in personal taste, and your experience will vary. Its best to try them all and keep a diary.
Wine from different regions of the world, has different qualities.
"Old world regions" are typically "drier" i.e. most europeans, south Africa.
old "vine" vs. new "vine" means that old vines that survived the blight of the 1850's, where grape phylloxera destroyed most of the crops. New vines are those planted after that era. Old vine is typically the driest of all.
"New world regions" are typically "sweeter" i.e. USA/California, New Zealand/Australia.
In the USA, wine is typically named after the kind of grapes used:
i.e. red wines:
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
Pinot Noir
White wines:
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Sauvignon Blanc
Typically white wine is fruitier, a bit less pungent, a bit more sweet
Typically red wine is nosier (smells run deeper, more fragrant), more acidic, drier.
Not to say acidic white or very sweet reds don't exist.
Different wine goes with different food - typically reds with meat, whites with fish and veg. THis is a whole subject unto itself.
Start by storing well - at about 50-60 degrees, in the dark, 50% humidity. Not cold enough to be a fridge, not warm enough to be out in the open, on its side, with wine contacting the cork.
Serve at the appropriate temp, red should be served warmer than white.
I watched a special on how to "taste" wine.
1. Uncork by using a corkscrew. Learn to use it well. Smell the cork. Smell the wine from the bottle. Note the differences. Try and pick out components in each from the bottle and cork.
2. Pour a glass. Warm the wine with your hand. Put your sniffer deep in the glass and inhale an entire lungful. Exhale and concentrate on both inhale/exhale. Again try and ID whats in the mix.
3. Have yourself a small sip. Roll it around in your mouth and swallow. Blow across your tongue and exhale. This should give you another idea of the flavor profile.
4. Take a full mouthful point your head down and inhale a lungful of air ***through*** the mouthful of wine. Bubble through it. Swallow (or spit if your a wine judge or at a tasting) and exhale across your palate again. This should be your ultimate in flavor profile.
5. You should be able to note 4 different sections in the flavor profile, nose (smells), head (at the beginning - the instant the wine touches your tongue), body (the majority "center" portion of the taste), tail (or finish) (the bit after you swallow or spit).
An average person should be able to identify at least one particular flavor note in each section of the wine.
All being said, as far as "what you like" or "a good wine" - its all in personal taste, and your experience will vary. Its best to try them all and keep a diary.
Young Grasshopper
Golden Member
thanks, i bought some cabernet, merlot and pinot. gonna try the pinot tonight.
edro
Lifer
Pepperwood Cabernet Savignon, $7.99 @ local grocery stores.
http://www.donandsons.com/threeloosescrews/pepperwoodgrove/cabernetsauvignon.php
This is my favorite cheap wine.
Once you develop a taste for red wine, you will probably stick with it.
White wine is ok, but most wine drinkers prefer red.
http://www.donandsons.com/threeloosescrews/pepperwoodgrove/cabernetsauvignon.php
This is my favorite cheap wine.
Once you develop a taste for red wine, you will probably stick with it.
White wine is ok, but most wine drinkers prefer red.
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MovingTarget
Diamond Member
Taste lots of different wines to figure out what you like. Start with white first and taste major white varietals like chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, etc. Usually people start with white first because it's sweeter than most red wines, doesn't require as advanced a palette to differentiate between types and quality, and is nice to drink on a warm day because it's usually kept at cooler temperatures than red wine. Then try out red wine - cabernet, zinfandel, merlot, pinot noir, are the major varietals but there are tons others.
You can always pick up a book and read, or, a lot of nice grocery stores in my area have people around the wine shelves to help customers choose wines to fit their tastes and price ranges. Hitting up Bevmo during their 5 cent wine sales is also a great idea. You can easily pick up half a case of different wines real quick for cheap.
You can always pick up a book and read, or, a lot of nice grocery stores in my area have people around the wine shelves to help customers choose wines to fit their tastes and price ranges. Hitting up Bevmo during their 5 cent wine sales is also a great idea. You can easily pick up half a case of different wines real quick for cheap.
Sheep
Golden Member
Everything I learned about wine, I learned from these guys:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oz_and_James%27s_Big_Wine_Adventure
Kidding...kind of. Only you know what your palate finds pleasing, but this show does cover a lot of wine knowledge in a much more viewer-friendly way than the dry, boring wine documentaries typically found floating around PBS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oz_and_James%27s_Big_Wine_Adventure
Kidding...kind of. Only you know what your palate finds pleasing, but this show does cover a lot of wine knowledge in a much more viewer-friendly way than the dry, boring wine documentaries typically found floating around PBS.
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AreaCode707
Lifer
I'm going to assume pinot noir rather than pinot gris/grigio. Pinot Noir may be the hardest wine to start with, since good pinots are harder to make therefore usually more expensive. Pinot can either be REALLY good or pretty crappy. Not very many pinots in between. Cab and merlot you're much safer with.
Huge wine fan here! My husband and I take most of our vacations centered around one wine region or another. We've got a sizable collection going on and it's rare we don't pop a bottle with dinner.
Tips for learning wine:
Go find a local wine shop and find out when they do tastings (weekly or twice weekly usually). Many places do free tasting; others charge $5 or so. A wine shop will usually be the cheapest way to try many different type of wines from many different places.
There is no right and wrong with wine. Drink what you like, and nevermind what anyone else says! There are *technically* ways to judge what wines are better than others but when it comes right down to it, the only thing that really matters is your opinion of how good the wine tastes. $$ does not equal quality.
bobdole's post gave you a good guide on the proper way to taste wine. It might help to glance at the flavor wheel - these are the aromas and tastes many people find in various wines.
http://www.vadim.com/Wine/wine_wheel.jpg
Two people may taste completely different things; nothing wrong with that! Wines taste differently depending on what part of your mouth it touches, and tastes often change over several seconds.
Doing side by side tastings is my recommended way to get familiar with wine. You can do this in several different ways.
- Buy 3-5 bottles of cabernet different producers and pour a few ounces of each into a glass and taste each one in turn.
- Buy 3-5 bottles of different types of wine, ditto.
- Buy 3-5 bottles of the same type of wine from different areas, ditto.
Side by side tasting, or "flights" is one of the very best ways to learn about wine because you can easily taste the differences between them.
Invite a few friends over and have everyone bring a bottle. Good way to do this without getting pricey and also get the bottles finished off. 🙂 Good wine and good food are all about friendship and sharing.
Don't buy into the Sideways snottiness about merlots and pinots. It's obnoxious and very often identifiable as not your own opinion. I personally like cabernet or a good petit sirah.
AreaCode707
Lifer
How chilled? "Room temperature" is a misnomer nowadays. Room temp is supposed to indicate the temp of a wine cellar - approximately 55 degrees. Serving a red at a room temp of 70 degrees isn't ideal. So slight chilling is usually desirable.
AreaCode707
Lifer
Reading columns and blogs will only get you so far. I think of that as more of a second step, after you've familiarized yourself with wine firsthand. You'll get further by talking to the grocery guy who stocks the wine in your local store, or the wine shop owner or regulars, or someone behind the counter at a local winery who pours wine.
Starting with blogs is kind of like trying to learn how to play a role-playing game by diving into the gaming blogosphere but not buying yourself a copy of the game or reading the rules. It'll seem overwhelming, confusing and not a lot of fun, focused on nonsensical minutae rather than the overall landscape.
That said, I liked Dan Berger's column on wine but it seems to have disappeared.
Merlot was the "popular" wine through the late '90s and early '00s, so the movie basically decided to pick on it for that reason. It's also relatively easy to grow merlot grapes, and make a decent merlot wine, while it's quite hard to do both with pinot noir. Pinot Noir, also known as Burgundy when it comes from France, is supposedly the king of wines. I dispute that.
[edit] Oh, and in regards to bobdole's wine tasting instructions - cork sniffing is primarily to determine whether a wine is "corked" - that is, improperly sealed and gone bad. Corks won't tell you much more than that about a wine.
[edit2]
He's already drinking reds, don't take him backwards. 🙂 Not being snotty, I like Riesling more than most whites, but there's much more to discover in reds.
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I have just started to get into wines as well... and so far I am enjoying it very much 🙂
good wine with good cheese and fruits and company just can't be beat
The best way to learn about wine is to drink them! just pick up a couple of cheap bottles of various types of grapes: $10-$20 is a good bet (or go to a winery and do wine tasting if its available near your area). Wineries make different wine even though they use the same grape type. A cab sauvignon from one winery might be smoother than another. So it is your best to experiment. I find old heavy wines to be better from the old world (Europe) than the new world (Australia, Chile, New Zealand, US). However new world places make excellent lighter wines (light red or white).
Usually beginners start with white wine, because white is sweeter and it doesn't have too severe tannic taste that most reds have.
Some white grapes that I have tasted and liked (all of these are major grapes, ie common grapes):
- riesling: somewhere between dry and sweet. Can be drunk as is for beginners or with food.
- gewurtzermainer: probably my favourite white wine if drunk as is without food. Good gewurtz is very fragrant and has lychee like smell. YUM!
- sauvignon blanc: tends to be dryer than the above but still good
- white zinfandel: tons of these in napa valley, quite good also
- semillion: sauternes is made from this, very sweet and complex taste
- moscato: usually dessert wine, very sweet. Australia is famous for this.
- suave: had an excellent australian suave. Not really considered a major grape. But the taste is very smooth and quite light.
Some red wine varieties:
- cabernet sauvignon: a very common red grape. Heavy and usually very tannic. Usually not recommended for first time wine drinkers. When people are put off from drinking wine is usually because they had this for their first time. Young cab is high in tannic and usually not good, so you need to usually get an older vintage. Stores very well for long period of time (around ten years).
- Merlot: my favourite red. Not too heavy and tannic. Goes well with normal every day food. Some of the most expensive red wine in the world is made from this grape (chateau la fite roschild, pomerol petrus, etc)
- Shiraz: very good with asian or chinese food since it has a spicy flavor. Medium dry and not too tannic either. My second fave red wine.
- Pinot Noir/ Pinot Grigio: haven't had time to try this yet since I heard the good ones are very expensive
A common misconception is about wine aging. People think that all wines taste better as they age. This is simply not true for most white wins and light red wines. If you bought a couple bottle of wines (red or white) it is perfectly acceptable to store them in the fridge if you don't have a wine cellar. A constant temperature is crucial in maintaining wine quality and taste. If you keep a wine in hot temperature it will probably cook it thus destroying it.
Most white wines should be drank <3-4 years while for most light red < 5-10 years.
Also try getting some good wine glasses. For red try getting a big one with large mouth so you can put your nose in and smell the aroma. For white a smaller one will do. You don't need to get super expensive glass like riedel. A decent one will do (like the ones at costco). Oh by the way costco has good wine selection! and reasonably cheap as well!
good wine with good cheese and fruits and company just can't be beat
The best way to learn about wine is to drink them! just pick up a couple of cheap bottles of various types of grapes: $10-$20 is a good bet (or go to a winery and do wine tasting if its available near your area). Wineries make different wine even though they use the same grape type. A cab sauvignon from one winery might be smoother than another. So it is your best to experiment. I find old heavy wines to be better from the old world (Europe) than the new world (Australia, Chile, New Zealand, US). However new world places make excellent lighter wines (light red or white).
Usually beginners start with white wine, because white is sweeter and it doesn't have too severe tannic taste that most reds have.
Some white grapes that I have tasted and liked (all of these are major grapes, ie common grapes):
- riesling: somewhere between dry and sweet. Can be drunk as is for beginners or with food.
- gewurtzermainer: probably my favourite white wine if drunk as is without food. Good gewurtz is very fragrant and has lychee like smell. YUM!
- sauvignon blanc: tends to be dryer than the above but still good
- white zinfandel: tons of these in napa valley, quite good also
- semillion: sauternes is made from this, very sweet and complex taste
- moscato: usually dessert wine, very sweet. Australia is famous for this.
- suave: had an excellent australian suave. Not really considered a major grape. But the taste is very smooth and quite light.
Some red wine varieties:
- cabernet sauvignon: a very common red grape. Heavy and usually very tannic. Usually not recommended for first time wine drinkers. When people are put off from drinking wine is usually because they had this for their first time. Young cab is high in tannic and usually not good, so you need to usually get an older vintage. Stores very well for long period of time (around ten years).
- Merlot: my favourite red. Not too heavy and tannic. Goes well with normal every day food. Some of the most expensive red wine in the world is made from this grape (chateau la fite roschild, pomerol petrus, etc)
- Shiraz: very good with asian or chinese food since it has a spicy flavor. Medium dry and not too tannic either. My second fave red wine.
- Pinot Noir/ Pinot Grigio: haven't had time to try this yet since I heard the good ones are very expensive
A common misconception is about wine aging. People think that all wines taste better as they age. This is simply not true for most white wins and light red wines. If you bought a couple bottle of wines (red or white) it is perfectly acceptable to store them in the fridge if you don't have a wine cellar. A constant temperature is crucial in maintaining wine quality and taste. If you keep a wine in hot temperature it will probably cook it thus destroying it.
Most white wines should be drank <3-4 years while for most light red < 5-10 years.
Also try getting some good wine glasses. For red try getting a big one with large mouth so you can put your nose in and smell the aroma. For white a smaller one will do. You don't need to get super expensive glass like riedel. A decent one will do (like the ones at costco). Oh by the way costco has good wine selection! and reasonably cheap as well!
I have just started to get into wines as well... and so far I am enjoying it very much 🙂
good wine with good cheese and fruits and company just can't be beat
The best way to learn about wine is to drink them! just pick up a couple of cheap bottles of various types of grapes: $10-$20 is a good bet (or go to a winery and do wine tasting if its available near your area). Wineries make different wine even though they use the same grape type. A cab sauvignon from one winery might be smoother than another. So it is your best to experiment. I find old heavy wines to be better from the old world (Europe) than the new world (Australia, Chile, New Zealand, US). However new world places make excellent lighter wines (light red or white).
Usually beginners start with white wine, because white is sweeter and it doesn't have too severe tannic taste that most reds have.
Some white grapes that I have tasted and liked (all of these are major grapes, ie common grapes):
- riesling: somewhere between dry and sweet. Can be drunk as is for beginners or with food.
- gewurtzermainer: probably my favourite white wine if drunk as is without food. Good gewurtz is very fragrant and has lychee like smell. YUM!
- sauvignon blanc: tends to be dryer than the above but still good
- white zinfandel: tons of these in napa valley, quite good also
- semillion: sauternes is made from this, very sweet and complex taste
- moscato: usually dessert wine, very sweet. Australia is famous for this.
- suave: had an excellent australian suave. Not really considered a major grape. But the taste is very smooth and quite light.
Some red wine varieties:
- cabernet sauvignon: a very common red grape. Heavy and usually very tannic. Usually not recommended for first time wine drinkers. When people are put off from drinking wine is usually because they had this for their first time. Young cab is high in tannic and usually not good, so you need to usually get an older vintage. Stores very well for long period of time (around ten years).
- Merlot: my favourite red. Not too heavy and tannic. Goes well with normal every day food. Some of the most expensive red wine in the world is made from this grape (chateau la fite roschild, pomerol petrus, etc)
- Shiraz: very good with asian or chinese food since it has a spicy flavor. Medium dry and not too tannic either. My second fave red wine.
- Pinot Noir/ Pinot Grigio: haven't had time to try this yet since I heard the good ones are very expensive
A common misconception is about wine aging. People think that all wines taste better as they age. This is simply not true for most white wins and light red wines. If you bought a couple bottle of wines (red or white) it is perfectly acceptable to store them in the fridge if you don't have a wine cellar. A constant temperature is crucial in maintaining wine quality and taste. If you keep a wine in hot temperature it will probably cook it thus destroying it.
Most white wines should be drank <3-4 years while for most light red < 5-10 years.
Also try getting some good wine glasses. For red try getting a big one with large mouth so you can put your nose in and smell the aroma. For white a smaller one will do. You don't need to get super expensive glass like riedel. A decent one will do (like the ones at costco). Oh by the way costco has good wine selection! and reasonably cheap as well!
good wine with good cheese and fruits and company just can't be beat
The best way to learn about wine is to drink them! just pick up a couple of cheap bottles of various types of grapes: $10-$20 is a good bet (or go to a winery and do wine tasting if its available near your area). Wineries make different wine even though they use the same grape type. A cab sauvignon from one winery might be smoother than another. So it is your best to experiment. I find old heavy wines to be better from the old world (Europe) than the new world (Australia, Chile, New Zealand, US). However new world places make excellent lighter wines (light red or white).
Usually beginners start with white wine, because white is sweeter and it doesn't have too severe tannic taste that most reds have.
Some white grapes that I have tasted and liked (all of these are major grapes, ie common grapes):
- riesling: somewhere between dry and sweet. Can be drunk as is for beginners or with food.
- gewurtzermainer: probably my favourite white wine if drunk as is without food. Good gewurtz is very fragrant and has lychee like smell. YUM!
- sauvignon blanc: tends to be dryer than the above but still good
- white zinfandel: tons of these in napa valley, quite good also
- semillion: sauternes is made from this, very sweet and complex taste
- moscato: usually dessert wine, very sweet. Australia is famous for this.
- suave: had an excellent australian suave. Not really considered a major grape. But the taste is very smooth and quite light.
Some red wine varieties:
- cabernet sauvignon: a very common red grape. Heavy and usually very tannic. Usually not recommended for first time wine drinkers. When people are put off from drinking wine is usually because they had this for their first time. Young cab is high in tannic and usually not good, so you need to usually get an older vintage. Stores very well for long period of time (around ten years).
- Merlot: my favourite red. Not too heavy and tannic. Goes well with normal every day food. Some of the most expensive red wine in the world is made from this grape (chateau la fite roschild, pomerol petrus, etc)
- Shiraz: very good with asian or chinese food since it has a spicy flavor. Medium dry and not too tannic either. My second fave red wine.
- Pinot Noir/ Pinot Grigio: haven't had time to try this yet since I heard the good ones are very expensive
A common misconception is about wine aging. People think that all wines taste better as they age. This is simply not true for most white wins and light red wines. If you bought a couple bottle of wines (red or white) it is perfectly acceptable to store them in the fridge if you don't have a wine cellar. A constant temperature is crucial in maintaining wine quality and taste. If you keep a wine in hot temperature it will probably cook it thus destroying it.
Most white wines should be drank <3-4 years while for most light red < 5-10 years.
Also try getting some good wine glasses. For red try getting a big one with large mouth so you can put your nose in and smell the aroma. For white a smaller one will do. You don't need to get super expensive glass like riedel. A decent one will do (like the ones at costco). Oh by the way costco has good wine selection! and reasonably cheap as well!
AreaCode707
Lifer
Additional/contrasting thoughts.
A Bordeaux from France is going to be around 12-13% alcohol, less oaky and lighter than a Cabernet from California (same grape) at 13-16% alcohol, strongly oaked and much beefier. Generally. Different winemakers will do different things, but that's how the styles are usually applied.
Another good comparison is Primitivo (European) and Zinfandel (same grape, California). Primitivo will usually be light red fruit, raspberry, red currant, light pepper etc. Zin (new world style) is often deeper bramble fruit and much more meaty.
Shiraz is also known as Syrah if you're outside Australia.
Pinot Noir belongs in this list but Pinot Grigio (also known as Pinot Gris) belongs in the whites list. Very good and good ones would be affordable.
$20 is getting pretty steep for a first time wine drinker. You can find decent enough stuff for learning in the $10 range.
Actually most imported wines are made "old world style", which means that they're lower alcohol, drier and lighter than new world style wines.
A Bordeaux from France is going to be around 12-13% alcohol, less oaky and lighter than a Cabernet from California (same grape) at 13-16% alcohol, strongly oaked and much beefier. Generally. Different winemakers will do different things, but that's how the styles are usually applied.
Another good comparison is Primitivo (European) and Zinfandel (same grape, California). Primitivo will usually be light red fruit, raspberry, red currant, light pepper etc. Zin (new world style) is often deeper bramble fruit and much more meaty.
I'll add Chardonnay as a major white grape. You'll hear "oak" and "stainless steel" thrown around a lot. That has to do with how the wine was aged, whether in oak barrels (or with oak chips/slats in it) or in stainless steel tanks. Stainless steel will have much more melon, tropical fruit and citrus flavor. Oaked Charonnay would have more toast over the original flavors.
Most Cab sold in stores in the $10 range isn't meant to cellar. It's designed to be drunk within a few years after bottling. While I usually wouldn't recommend it for a VERY first time wine drinker, this guy sounds like he's had reds and is ok with them, just wants to know more about it.
Shiraz is also known as Syrah if you're outside Australia.
Pinot Noir belongs in this list but Pinot Grigio (also known as Pinot Gris) belongs in the whites list. Very good and good ones would be affordable.
Wines you're buying at the store for $15 intending to drink within a few months will be fine sitting out at room temperature, no fridge needed. Don't let it get over 75 degrees.
I recommend secondhand stores for wine glasses on the cheap. 🙂 Clink it with your nail - if it rings then it's a good quality glass. If it clunks, it's usually not worth the buy.
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