Wine has been celebrated for centuries around the world and with good reason. It compliments a meal as well as an occasion! Learning how to select the best wine, however, can be a bit challenging. The following article will help you in choosing a great wine and all that goes with it.
Wine should be stored in a dark, cool location. One of the best places to help your wine remain fresh if you do not have a wine cellar is in a closet in your basement. Store your bottles on their side away from any light sources to help it remain fresh.
Choose your food and wine pairings carefully. Typically, white wine is suitable for light dishes, salads or fish. Red wine goes well with heavier dishes and dark meats. The rule of thumb is the heavier or darker the dish, the darker the wine that you choose. If you have having a multi-course dinner, start with white wine and progress to red wine.
When buying wine for dinner, take into consideration the food you will be serving. As a general rule, red wines pair well with beef based dishes, while white wines work well with seafood and vegetarian dishes. If you are not sure about which wine to pair with your meal, ask at your local wine store to receive a little help.
Find someone who can help you identify wines to try. This can be either a merchant who earns your trust through good recommendations, or a wine expert who seems to have a palate close to your own. Their ideas can keep you trying new wines without just picking bottles randomly friends and family and friends to enjoy .
If you are a fan of the best wines, take some time to visit the wine country. Wine takes on a new life when you see where its grapes are grown. The amount of knowledge you can gain in a visit is priceless. Therefore, your visit can be both fun and educational.
A perfect after dinner drink that a lot of people seem to enjoy is a wine that is rich in flavor. There are many dessert wines including California Port, Italian Moscato and French Champagne. Your party guests are sure to love the relaxing ambiance that sipping wine can bring.
If you want to visit a winery, you should know that the wine you buy and bring home will not taste like the wine you tried at the winery. The wine offered to visitors is often never put into bottles and the wine you buy will change during your trip home.
If you are new to selecting wines, start off at a store that carries bottles under $20. Wine shops geared toward connoisseurs may have a lot of expensive and confusing choices. Opt for the lower priced wine until you’ve found your favorite flavor and then take it from there.
No two stores are exactly the same, so when you are hunting for that perfect wine, know what you that perfect wine is and know what the stores are serving. Reading the latest reviews and offerings from the local selections helps give you a better feel for what lies within their cellar. Knowing what the store offers will help narrow down the selection process to a few names that work!
When it comes to the differences between red and white wine, one major element is how they wines are fermented and aged. Red grapes are pressed twice, releasing more tannins and brightening the color of the wine. This is what makes the color so beautiful and the flavor so bold.
When dining out, don’t be afraid to ask your server if there is a wine expert in the house! Chances are good that someone will have the perfect recommendation to complement your meal. Tell them what you are having and give them a general price range, and you should find yourself with a great bottle to go with the meal.
It may seem very enticing to fill your glass with wine all the way to the top. However, most people don’t understand that the proper way to serve wine is to fill the glass to about one third of the way. This enables the drinker to swirl the wine and fully distribute the taste.
Your diet can handle some wine. Many people avoid drinking wine when dieting because they are afraid of wasting calories. You do not have to completely sacrifice wine in your diet if you remember to practice moderation and portion control. Most wines come in at just under 100 calories per serving. You can easily work a glass or two into your weekly routine.
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.
If you see a varietal wine, you know that it is made from mostly varietal grapes. Some examples are Pinot Noir and Syrah. In order for a wine to be varietal, it must contain a minimum of 90% of a single varietal juice. At a lot of places, the other ten percent is composed from a different grape to add a little interest to the bottle.
When dining at a favorite restaurant in a group, never order wine by the glass. Keep in mind that having six glasses means you’re drinking a whole bottle, so be sure to share. You’ll save money and all get to try something new.
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.
History has shown how enjoyable a good wine can be and when selected wisely. Any meal can be highlighted by a delicious red, white or sparkling bubbly! Hopefully this wine has made you somewhat of a connoisseur and your next meal will be an unforgettable event, paired with the perfect wine!