How to drink wine for beginners

To the seasoned wine drinker, it is easy to forget the daunting early days of a new wine connoisseur. There are so many countries, colors and years of wine to choose from! Beginning your wine journey is one that will never end. Your tastes invariably will change with time. All that truly matters in the wine world is that you enjoy the wine, regardless of its price, year or color! I have put together some tips for new wine drinkers to follow when first starting out.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Identify the Color - At the most basic level, wine is classified by red (which is high in tannins) or white (which is lower in tannins). Tannins - natural preservatives within the grape skin - are what give wine its dry, strong taste. Red are exposed longer to the grape skin when fermenting, and so have more tannins, and hence a stronger taste.

2. Transition into Wine Drinking - The best way to ease into wine drinking is to begin with the sweet white wines, such as pinot grigio. From there, you can make the transition to red, beginning with blush wines. Blush wines are mixes of cabernet sauvignon or merlot and another white wine. After you develop your sense of the blush wines, you can transition into the full-bodied and diverse reds. The best red wine to begin with is pinot noir, followed by the lighter cabernet sauvignons and finally, merlot.

3. Pairing Wine with Food - What are the best wines for the right food? Historically people have used the rule that red wine goes with red meat, and whites pair well with poultry and fish. From a modern perspective, it’s much more complicated than just one rule. Light-bodied wines work well with lighter foods and full-bodied wines work well with heavier, more flavorful foods. Saltier foods tend to pair well with red wine.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't feel overwhelmed when starting out.
• Don't drink and drive

Resources

• Wine Online

[Gardengates]

on 12/15/2008 Thank you for the education on wines. I really needed it!