If you’re the kind of person who walks into a wine shop and sees a million versions of the same bottle and you decide by sheer chance, you’re certainly not the only one. In fact, a lot of people just go into their local bottle shop and buy the cheapest thing they can find, not even considering what it might taste like! It’s only when you really get into understanding and appreciate how each unique bottle tastes that you can really open yourself up to how wonderful the world of wine is. The problem then becomes – where do you start? No need to worry, though – in this article, we provide some great information to help you better decide when you next drop into the bottle shop to grab a bottle of wine.
Where to get started when buying wine
Whether you’re looking in-store or wanting to buy wines online, you can apply many of the same concepts to find the right wine for you (you can’t taste in either case, after all). If you’re wanting to explore the world of whites & rosé, the biggest recommendation we can make is for you to drink it as fresh as possible. Rosés and whites are made to be drunk young, with the exception of higher quality Rieslings and chardonnays. For this reason, the fresher the vintage (when the grapes were harvested), the fresher the wine, so look to find a bottle in September and November, just after they’re released. If you’re more interested in wine for the amazing thigs it can do for food, then look no further than Italian wine – Italian styles – such as Fiano, Nero d’Avola, Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio – contribute beautiful textures and refined flavours, making them the perfect tipple to have with a meal (whether or not it be a special occasion). Italian wines are available in both reds and whites, so you can be sure to find something to go well with your food.
Enjoy your bubbles?
If you’ve only had sparkling wine – or “champagne” – at a special occasion, you might not understand how nuanced and interesting the world of sparkling wine can be. Proper French Champagne is not the be all and end all of sparkling wine (far from it, actually), as there are sparkling wine varieties that are made all over the world that differ in certain ways. As a sparkling wine, Champagne is quite dry and biscuity. Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine similar to Champagne, but often less complex (but also considerably more affordable), while prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine that boasts apple and pear flavours. With all this in mind, choosing the right sparkling for you will depend entirely on your tastes.
Want something to look forward to?
On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re looking to buy a alcohol to reap the benefits for it later on (such as seeing how to develops and increases in complexity), buying a big Australian red wine, such as a shiraz or cabernet sauvignon, can mean you can stick it in your cellar and wait for it to develop into something extraordinary. A good idea is to buy two and try one before it ages – then you’ll be able to better understand how the aging process changes the wine.