words Alexa Wang
Although picking a bottle of wine should be a pleasant experience, it’s often not as simple as it sounds. Some people even attend wine courses to learn more about the field. Not only are there hundreds of varieties to choose from, but there are also different styles of wine too.
Whether you’re trying to find a bottle of wine for a special occasion, as a gift, or to enjoy with your dinner, here are some of our top tips to help you make your decision a little bit easier and more enjoyable:
1. Know Your Budget
One of the most important things you need to consider when purchasing a bottle of wine is your budget. You will need to decide how much you want to spend on a bottle of wine and stick to it. If you want to save money on your wine or alcohol purchases, look for offers online. Sites like The Crafty Vintner often have amazing offers on their products.
2. Understand the Different Types of Wine
Before you start searching for a good bottle of wine, you must understand the different options available to you. At the very least you will need to know the difference between white, red, rose, and sparkling.
3. Understand the Characteristics of Wine
Here are some of the characteristics of wine you’ll need to understand:
- The body – this refers to the weight of the mouthful of wine. For example, is it light like water or is it heavy like oil?
- The acidity – acidic wine leaves a tart or sharp taste in the mouth. Wines that are produced in cooler climates are usually more acidic.
- The type of fruit – a common misunderstanding is that when a wine is referred to as fruity, it means that other types of fruit have been added to the wine. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. In most cases, wine is only created from grapes. The fruit flavours are created using riper grapes.
- The sweetness – one of the first things we notice when we taste wine is how sweet or dry it is. Wines that have very little sweetness are referred to as dry. Before choosing a bottle of wine, make sure you know whether you prefer dry or sweet wine.
4. Understand Different Regions
Having an understanding of the most popular wine regions and what grape varieties they produce can help a great deal when it comes to buying bottles of wine. For example, Australia is renowned for Shiraz, Chile is known for Carmenere, and Germany is known for Riesling. This means that if you’re looking to try a wine from Australia, you should start by trying a bottle of Shiraz.
5. Download a Free Wine App to Your Smartphone
There are several amazing wine apps to choose from. Wine apps provide you with details about the wine you’re considering such as the price, the features, and the ratings or reviews. By reading past reviews from other customers, you’ll be able to work out whether the wine is worth purchasing or whether to look for something else.
Choosing a good bottle of wine on a restaurant menu or in a shop can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know much about wine. However, don’t be scared. Follow some of our top tips above to help you choose a wine that is perfect for you. Lastly, don’t forget the bottle opener, otherwise, you will have to use some of the alternative methods.
