Do you keep asking yourself how to choose wine or which is the best wine you should buy ? It`s a dilemma which can put you off wine. We can help you to find the right wine according to your taste and to get the best deal. Let`s jump into our 3 step guide
Which wine do I like?
How to choose wine? If you know which wine you like or how to choose wine you can skip this part and jump to the next step. In case you`re still trying to find out – we can help you.
Reflect on other flavors you enjoy
Do you prefer apple or grapefruit juice? Apple juice lovers tend to prefer semi sweet white wine whereas people who prefer grapefruit or acidic orange juice tend to like dry white wine or rose wines.
Do you like your coffee without milk or an espresso or a latte macchiato? People who like black coffee or espresso over coffee with milk tend to like European wines whereas lovers of latte macchiato normally prefer wines from Australia, California or South America and Africa.
Now you almost know how to choose wine you can pick your bottle of wine!
I don`t like wine at all!
In case most wines taste the same to you there may be a reason to it. Not all people are able to taste substances in the same way. A very good friend keeps telling me when a red wine is smelling like “Susie” – a doll she had when she was 6 years old. It became a quality sign as these wines turned into my favorite wines.
For her it smells like plastic for me it`s a very good wine. An interesting article on this topic explaining the background can be found in the New Yorker
My favorite wine – based on my psychological profile
Your psychological profile may tell you more about your wine preferences than you know. Coravin recently commissioned a survey based on wine preferences based on several psychological aspects.
The results are quite interesting perhaps you find your wine preferences confirmed or you can discover new variants as sparkling wine.
You can find other aspects on the influence of your personality on your wine preferences at EliteDaily.
Where to Buy wine?
Now that you are aware of your favorite grape, we need to find a good way to buy the best wine derived from it. The easiest but surely longest way to your best wine is to go to your local grocery store and to start tasting all the wines based on your favorite grape.
You`re going to gain a lot of experience but you`ll end up spending a lot of money. It`s what I did when I lived in France for 3 years. In the end I should`ve followed the advice we give you.
Which wine for beginners?
Have you tried wine before? If not the best way for you to start is a white, rosé or sparkling wine.
Now you already know if a semi sweet or dry wine from the old or new world is your possible favorite wine. You also have a vague idea if a white, rose or sparkling wine would be a good start.
What are the 3 general categories of wine
Wine has been a favored beverage for centuries and its popularity continues to grow. With so many varieties of wine now available, it can be difficult to know where to start when selecting a bottle. It helps to understand the three general categories of wine: red, white and rose.
Red wines
Red wines are made by fermenting dark-colored grapes with their skins on. This process results in wines with fuller bodies and stronger flavors than white or rose wines.
Tannins, which give red wines their dryness, come from the grape skins during fermentation. Popular examples include cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir.
White wine
White wines are made by removing the skins before fermenting the grapes; this prevents tannins from entering the mixture during fermentation and gives white wines lighter colors and body than their red counterparts.
Easy to drink options light bodied wine to start with are Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc
Rosé Wine
Rosé Wine is made from red grapes by either separating the skins and stems after crushing the grapes or by the bleeding (saignee) method. In the latter case the grape skins don`t come into contact with the grape juice. Before fermentation some red grape juice is added for the color of the rose. Fermetation is done at lower temperatures than for white and red wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a unique and popular beverage enjoyed by wine lovers around the world. It’s an effervescent, refreshing and often celebratory drink that is produced in various styles, ranging from dry to sweet. Sparkling wines are typically identified by their distinct flavor characteristics.
The most common sparkling wines have a light crispness with aromas of green apples and citrus as well as delicate flavors of white flowers, honeyed apricots, peaches or pears. These bubbly drinks can also have hints of toastiness, brioche and yeasty notes on the palate due to the secondary fermentation process used during production.
First steps to buy wine
Now that you are aware of your favorite grape and you know how to choose wine, we need to find a good way to buy the best wine derived from it. The easiest but surely longest way to your best wine is to go to your local grocery store and to start tasting all the wines based on your favorite grape.
You`re going to gain a lot of experience but you`ll end up spending a lot of money. It`s what I did when I lived in France for 3 years. In the end I should`ve followed the advice we give you.
Go to your local wine shop!
Try to find a good local wine shop which seems trustworthy to you. Prepare some questions about the grape you`re looking for which help you to figure out which wine will be the right one.
Describe what you like about your favorite grape. This will help the salesperson to focus on certain wine regions and wineries as the best match to the wine you`re looking for.
Question if the salesperson would buy the wine for himself. Ask questions to find out that you`re getting what you want.
How to find a good wine shop?
As always ask friends if they`ve made experience buying wine from local wine shops. You can also take a look at the webpages of wine magazines like winespectator, terredevins or meilleurcavistedeFrance (best wine shop in France) where you find wine shop ratings for specialists near you.
How do I find more wine I like?
You may be saying we`ve already done this a couple of steps before but once you`ve found a wine shop you trust try to go to wine tastings to learn more about your new favorite drink. Wineshops normally offer wine tastings, or you can also have them arranged for smaller groups of people in the shop or at your home – Ask at your local wine shop!
When buying wine:
Once you`re more familiar with your favorite wine there some things to keep in mind when buying wine. A lot of wines have different medals. A medal in a competition is not a guarantee for a good wine as there`re countless wine competitions.
Follow your taste not the medals !
Read the label and learn what you`re reading
When it comes to selecting the perfect bottle of wine, reading the label is key. Knowing what information a wine label provides can help you make an informed choice in picking out the perfect bottle for your occasion.
A proper wine label should provide information about who produced the wine, where it was made, and what grape varieties are used in its production. You will also find details such as alcohol by volume (ABV), vintage year, and geographical origin of the grapes used. It is important to take note that not all wines use only one type of grape so understanding how each variety contributes to flavor profiles is essential when making your decision.
In some cases, labels may also feature awards or medals won by the winery or particular wines which can be helpful indicators when searching for quality bottles.
Second lable wines
Second label wines are an incredibly important innovation in the wine industry. These wines, often referred to as second labels, are produced from the same vineyards and grapes as a winery’s higher-priced wines but offer a more affordable option for consumers. By leveraging the same vineyard’s bounty and production methods, second label wines provide access to quality winemaking at a fraction of the cost.
Difference between first and second lable wines
Unlike other lower-priced wines on the market, second labels don’t skimp on quality; they use only premium grapes and employ traditional winemaking processes. This means that they share many of their higher-priced counterparts’ characteristics but can be purchased at a much lower price point.
Second label wines also provide great value for money, with a bottle often costing less than half of what its more expensive twin would cost. They are made from the excess grapes which are not used for the first lable wines.
In case of a bad grape harvest the volume of the first lable wines is constant whereas the quantity of the second lable wine is strongly reduced.
Age of wine bottles
In the world of wine, age can often have a huge impact on its flavor, complexity and price. Depending on the variety, vintage and region it was made in, some wines can be enjoyed at their peak flavour within weeks of bottling while others require many years to achieve the same level of complexity. While age is no guarantee of quality or flavour, there are certain styles that benefit from being aged for an extended period of time.
Age does not necessarily mean higher quality when it comes to wine bottles; however, it does often result in increased complexity as well as a higher price tag. As a general rule of thumb, younger wines are best enjoyed straight away whereas those with more maturity should typically be cellared for a few years before drinking in order to allow the flavours to fully develop.
Keep track of the wines you like
When it comes to wine, some people know exactly what they like and don’t like. For everyone else, there is a way to keep track of the different types of wines that you try and whether or not you actually enjoyed them. Keeping track of the wines that you have tried is not only a great way to remember what you have already tasted, but also to discover new kinds of wines that may suit your palate better than others.
Tracking your wine journey can begin with writing down notes in a notebook or journal about each type of wine that you sample. It’s important to include information such as the grape variety, region it came from, vintage year and any other noteworthy details about the flavor profile and aroma of the particular bottle. This will help you recall different aspects about each type for future reference so you can recreate an enjoyable experience.
Conclusion
I hope that our 3-step guide to your favorite wine has helped you to find your wine or to confirm that you don`t like wine at all. Leave a comment if you`re missing an option – Enjoy !
