How to Learn About Wine

Even a novice can appreciate a glass of wine, because wine and food are part of our daily lives. However, the more you know, the more fun it can be. Follow these tips from David Rosengarten, author of "Red Wine With Fish" and "The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook."

Things You'll Need

• Breads
• Cheeses
• Crackers
• Olives
• Wines
• Wine Glasses

Instructions

Starting Out

1. Keep in mind that wine is for food; that's how it was developed.

2. Enjoy wine, if not with a meal, then with cheese, bread, crackers or olives.

3. Employ the European sensibility when enjoying wine: Don't be intimidated by it.

4. Read about wine so you have an idea of what you're drinking. "The World Atlas of Wine" is an excellent book for beginners.

Learning More

1. Learn about the chemistry of wine making. Understand wine and analyze it technically.

2. Subscribe to wine geek newsletters such as the "Wine Spectator" or the "Wine Advocate."

3. Find a wine columnist or writer with whom your tastes seem to agree.

4. Find a writer whose palate seems to have been "separated at birth" from yours. Follow that critic.

5. Test the critic's palate against your own by tasting the same wines reviewed.

6. Organize your own wine tastings, both vertical and horizontal.

Tips & Warnings

• Drinking an impressive wine is like going to the opera to hear Wagner. It's great once in a while, but you wouldn't want to do it every day.

• "Vertical" wine tastings focus on a single vineyard and sample a variety of their vintages. "Horizontal" wine tastings pick a category or subject, such as Napa Valley chardonnay or Bordeaux from the Loire, and taste various selections from that same vintage.

• When reading reviews, it's better to follow an individual critic as opposed to a panel. A wine chosen by an individual palate is better than a wine chosen by mutual agreement, where things are averaged out.