Any ideas for a beginning wine drinker on how to pick a wine?

Answer 1

Your local wine seller probably offers wine tastings on occasion. Go to them. Sample different varieties until you find something you like. You'll find that as you drink more wine, your tastes will change and become more sophisticated. Your first favorite is unlikely to be your favorite in a couple of years.

Most importantly, keep exploring. There are a LOT of different wines in the world, and new regions are coming up all the time. A few years ago, who knew about Georgian and Bulgarian wines? Good luck!

Answer 2

Finding your tastes in wine is a pretty personal thing and I would go into with an open mind. Don't worry too much about price (expensive wines aren't always the best) rather focus on trying a wine or two from each major varietal (type of grape):

Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah
Whites: Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Gewurtztraminer

For simplicity's sake I would start with wines from California as they are readily available, not too expensive (usually), and they grow just about every kind of wine.

Pay attention to how the varietal, region, and age can affect the taste of a wine. Fruity, Herby or even Earthy? Sweet or Acidic? How long does the flavor linger in your mouth? Does the taste change after you've held it in your mouth.

Just keep trying them whenever you get the chance. The more wines you taste the more you will learn about your likes and dislikes. I like to save the labels of my favorites and keep notes.

Once you have gotten a handle around your tastes, try a few wines of the same varietal but from different parts of the world. For example if you like Chardonnay, try a White Burgundy from France. See how a Californian Syrah compares to a "Shiraz" from New Zealand.

Don't be shy to ask questions at your local wine shop. The folks who work there tend to be really knowledgable and can ussually help point you in the right direction if you tell them what you like.

Finally and most importantly, have fun with it. Don't get caught up in the snobbishness and don't be afraid to ask questions and I'll garuantee you'll have a great time discovering what the world of wines has to offer.


ps - a good book doesn't hurt either. Despite the name "Wine for Dummies" is one of the best wine references for starters. In fact it was actually used as a text book in the Wine Tasting Class at Cornell University.

Answer 3

If you're not a big wine drinker you might prefer one with a lower alcohol content to begin with... check the label and look for 12 or 12.5 percent. These will be smoother and not as bold. Try a Beaujolais or Chianti. I would also recommend the Spanish wine, Tempranillo.... goes down really easy. My guess is you will not love red Zinfandel, Merlot, or Shiraz, at least right now. You'll need to work up to those. These are all reds, of course. Somehow I find the whites more approachable, maybe because they are served cold? There are not too many really crappy wines out there these days. It's a matter of experimentation until you find your favorite. You can get a perfectly decent bottle for $6.99. Enjoy!

Answer 4

You didn't mention what types of flavour or mouth feel you prefer.

Most new wine drinkers prefer wines on the sweeter side. If this is the case, I would start off with a riesling or a white zin. Beringer makes a white zin which is drier and would be a good start in training your palate to appreciate different wines.

Vin de Pays-A French Rose is also another good start.

If you don't like the sweeter wines and would prefer starting off with something a bit drier, try a red. Merlot is a fruity rerd wine. Barbera, California style is fruity, but has higher acidity. Hence, I wouldn't recommend it by itself.

If you are looking for something to enjoy with steak, try a cabernet or merlot.

There are a lot of nice red table wines on the market now ( or Meritages)

It really depends what you like and what mouth feel you like.

Answer 5

There are a lot of confussing rules out there, like red wine with beef and white wine with fish, or light wines with light food and heavy wines with heavy food. Well if you don't open the bottle how are you going to know right? The quick way to pick a good wine to go with any dish is....
There is a winery, I think from Califorina, that prints little pictures on the wine bottle. There are chickens on the wine bottle that goes well with chicken, cows on the one that goes good with steak and so on. Another way is to pick up a copy of Wines and Spirits or Food and Wine, they have reviews of wine that read like movie reviews and can give you much insite into pairing wines with food. Sometimes asking for help can be the most challening, but if you can express to the wine store clerk what you are wanting to pair you wine with and then ask them not to speak in jargon you can get good insight into wines.

I really don't want to condence stuff I learned in over 2 years hear and trivialize it, but I will try to sum it up.

Grapes : The type of grape determins what kind of wine it will be. Chardonnay (a white wine that goes with just about everything) come from chardonnay grapes. Pinot grapes make the pinot wines, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. and so on....
Teroir : Most wines take on a flavor of the land on which they grow. If an Europian wine has a smell that reminds the drinker or a crisp light fruit we might say that is has "pear", in an American wine that same smell might come off as "apple" or "star fruit" in an Assie wine. A French red might remind us of "chocolate" while the type/flavor of wine from South America might remind us more of "coffee" And I must stress that these are smelled suggestions not actual flavoring, unless you are drinking Wild Vines or Boons Farm.

Answer 6

ask the guy at your local wine store to recommend a favorite.

you should be able to find totally decent tasty wines for under 10 bucks. save the more expensive stuff for when you know what you're drinking more.

you could have a wine tasting party at your apt. a great way to get a bunch of diff. bottles open at once.

australia makes some great wines, south africa too. and online there are lots of wine reviews for specific brands. check the nytimes for wine reviews or google.

my favorite types were always Shiraz ( a nice spick spanish red wine that drinks well on its own but goes great with food) and pinot grigio (a light white wine that's usually crisp and refreshing). I also LOVE reislings, a sparkling sweet wine that is oh so tasty.

i usually pick my wine based on the design on the bottle. have fun with it. :)

and remember - one thing about wine drinkers - they are happy to advise. so if youre in a store and cant decide ask someone else for a recommendation.

Answer 7

Beginning wine drinker? Red wine is very good for your blood, not to be drank in large quantities of course. One glass a day is very good for a person.

Answer 8

I suggest you ask a knowledgeable sales person in your local wine store for help.
They will ask you the right questions and guide you. A lot has to do with personal taste and what you will be eating at the time.

Answer 9

elana is right , but its worth the risk, start with something light like a klien viognier, or a tamas pinot grigio, for whites, and for reds start with a light pinot noir or a beaujolais, and in no time at all youll be breakn the bank to find the bigger badder wine ...cheers

Answer 10

Run! Run like the wind.

This stuff 'll eat you out of house and home.

You get any good at this and you're going to start hunting down
$200.00 bottles.

Run!