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1.Know what you’re eating: Even before tasting a bottle of wine, it is important to keep one of the most traditional tips in mind: white wine is best with fish, and red wine is a great compliment for bolder more gamey foods.
2.Select a region: Do a little research. Depending on the region of a vineyard, the effects that different soil has on the grapes can be a very strong component in the taste and richness of a particular type of wine.
3.Narrow down to a varietal: A varietal determines wine made from a single grape variety, and tells you about the bottle itself. This can help with narrowing down the bottle to a region, or pairing it to an appropriate plate.
4.Pick a year: Do a little research; each year brings a different taste and a certain savory lavishness to each bottle.
5.Keep track of the good wines that you drink: Often times, there are similarities that can be found within a certain sample of a group of wines. Mark down certain tastes, scents, or origins of a special bottle to eliminate the overwhelming feeling of a never-ending wine isle.
6.Seek assistance: There are experts for a reason. Although the store clerk stationed in the wine isle of a grocery store or liquor store may not be a certified vineyard expert, they can definitely offer better aid than a silly “guessing game.”
7.Pay attention to a wine’s rating: There are usually posts of the best-rated wines. A nearly perfect bottle will be scored 90+. If the taste preference of the destined bottle is not something most important, the rating of a bottle will surely serve as a guide to the best wines.
8.Don’t allow the price of a bottle to trick you: Some very good wines are priced extremely reasonably—it is more about defining a personal preference than it is a dollar amount.
9.Do your homework: Since wine is its own unique art form, it is important to develop an individualistic taste and understand all of the components that go into successfully producing an acceptable bottle.
10.Don’t play the guessing game: Similar to “judging a book by its cover,” it is very important NOT to pick up a bottle of wine just because it appears aesthetically pleasing. A very clean label with modern art designs may be the carrier to a very earthy and rich wine—a flavor not everyone acquires.
11.Consider the vintage in regard to tint: Red wines usually need at least two years to age to their utmost best flavor. But, often times, white wines taste best younger than two years.
12.An old wine does not necessarily make it better than a younger bottle: Many people believe that the longer a wine has been aging, the more expensive, or the better flavor it “should have.” This is a myth. Rather, most wines have an aging limit, which means that their aging process shouldn’t exceed a certain amount of time in order to receive the best taste. Also, wine can go bad.
a wine that shares similarities with the bottle of interest.
13.Twist tops do not make a good wine bad: Although the cork of a wine bottle plays a significant role in its packaging, and its taste, not ALL bottles of wine need a cork in order to be considered “good.” Rather, a screw top cannot only be convenient, but it can also eliminate issues such as spoiling a bottle of wine; which, sometimes happens when bacteria permeates through the cork and submerges into and thrives within the wine itself.
14.Don’t get tricked: All the world’s languages have a way of connecting. It is common to confuse one nation’s name for a bottle of wine as “its own” type of wine. However, Sancere (a French Wine) is exactly the same as Sauvignon Blanc.
15.Double check if the wine is single or multiple grapes: Due to weather conditions, or supply, some vineyards may mix different types of grapes together to create a bottle of wine. This makes the bottle poorer in quality than a one grape pure bottle.
16.Temperature: If you are buying wine for an event, think about the temperature that the room will be. Many white wines give off the best flavor when they are chilled. Ice buckets and wine coolers or refrigerators are great solutions for keeping a white bottle chilled around 46-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Red wines should be stored a around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
17.Stray away from boxed or larger bottled wines: Although less expensive, the quality and purity of boxed wine or extra large bottles is much poorer than an average bottle. There are inexpensive standard sized bottles of wine that are more enjoyable than the cheapest options. Because of the packaging and low funded production process of boxed wine and extra large bottles, consumers are more prone to bad side effects other than so, so taste—i.e. headaches.
18.Look for orphans: When there is one of something left on the shelves, there are sometimes deals on them. This doesn’t mean they aren’t a great bottle of wine! If you do your homework, you may come home with a very good bottle for half price.
19.Be smart about where you shop: Ideally, the best bottle of wine will be straight from the vineyard itself. But, many wine and liquor stores and supermarkets have great selections too. But, keep in mind that the larger the store and display, the thinner the selection may be. How? Well, to fill the shelves, there may be some redundancy in the bottles. Also, in reference to wine, quality is much more powerful than quantity.
20.Decide who will be drinking the wine: Depending on the occasion, many factors provide different conclusions to the decision process. Is it for personal use? Are you at home? Is it for someone else? Will it be opened straight away? What is the occasion?
21.Check the back of the bottle: Sometimes there are clues about the flavors (fruity, or salty,) aging process, importers, etc.
22.Look out for awards: Pointing out the obvious, a wine that has been awarded is probably a safe bet.
23.Sample: If at all possible, sample the wine, or a wine that shares similarities with the bottle of interest.
24.Letting your bottle breathe: If taking a last minute trip to the store for a bottle of wine is in your near horizons, consider the amount of time the particular bottle may need after opening it in order to breathe prior to serving it.
25.Wine has health benefits: Both red and white wines have health benefits because their original form is a fruit. However, red wine contains resveratrol, which is heart healthy.
So, the next time that you may be craving a relaxing night, or the icing on the cake for a special event, realize that there are a few things to check before making a rash decision—however, in the end, know that your night will be filled with enjoyment, satisfaction, and health boosts too.