MAIN FEATURE
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WENDY WATTA
Follow these easy and
practical tips to pick the
perfect wine at your local
supermarket:
1. FEEL THE LABEL
Run the back of your hand over the label. If
the paper feels cheap, you can bet that the
producers cut corners in other areas too and
what you’re getting is probably a low-grade
bottle of wine.
2. PICK A DEEP PUNT
Look at the indent at the base of the bottle,
otherwise known as the punt. Generally, the
deeper the punt, the better the quality of the
wine and the longer it can be stored. Most
wines at a supermarket have a flatter base
and should be enjoyed sooner rather than
later.
3. HAVE A BUDGET
Price doesn’t always equal quality, as you
may know if you’ve ever done blind tastings. A bottle may just be expensive due to
the startup cost for the winery. Wines from
traditional regions are often also pricier than
equally good ones from lesser known areas.
Have a budget in mind and stick to it!
4. BOXED WINE
If you want to drink the good stuff, steer clear
of anything that doesn’t come in a bottle.
Leave those for parties!
5. GO DIGITAL
There are some great apps with online wine
communities that can help you out should
you ever need it. Vivino, for instance, allows
you to scan the label of a bottle and ranks it
based on user reviews.
6. AGE IS A NUMBER
Try to get bottles that don’t look like they’ve
been sitting around on the shelves for the
last three years. As a rule of thumb best aim
for a more recent vintage as this means it’s
had less time go off in the bottle. Supermarkets will try to put the older ones in the front,
so make sure you check if there’s a more
recent vintage at the back.
With the staggering range of wines currently
available in Kenya, Victoria Mulu-Munywoki
suggests experimenting with different types and
styles until you identify a favorite go-to wine.
Happy sipping!
Price:
Determine how much money you are
willing to spend before you go in. That will
make your life so much easier and you’ll
end up spending less time debating over
a few bottles. It is also important to note
that not only expensive wine is good.
Preference:
Do you prefer still or sparkling? White,
rose or red? Sweet or dry? Full or lightbodied? The tasting notes on the back label should help you make the right choice
within these various styles.
Food pairing:
Think