Wine
Wine is not merely a beverage. It is a culture. If you are just getting into wine and don't yet have the jargon down, you are going to need some help mastering the wine terms and figuring out how to choose a decent wine. First things first: wine can be broken down into five basic categories.
Basic Wine Categories
After deciphering the categories and the grape names, You may want to dig deeper into the world of wine and go on your way to being a true connoisseur. You'll need to know the basic terms used to analyze wine and the art of tasting. Eventually, you will even want to know about the different wine classifications. Once you've got all that down, it's time to entertain and show off your knowledge. But you better brush up on the basics of food and wine pairing and wine storage, since you won't want to serve bad wine. Still want to learn more? Check out all these online resources at the Wine Resources Guide.
Wine is made all around the world, with each country adding its unique flavor. France and Italy produce and export the most wine per year. If you are just starting to get into wine, it would be a good idea to start with a bottle of French or Italian wine. Their wine is usually considered to be among the highest quality. If you aren't ready to commit to a certain wine, wine tastings are a good place to start. Wine cellars and restaurants sometimes will allow you to sample some of their wine as well. Also, restaurants that sell wine usually sell wine by the bottle and by the glass, so spending $7 on a glass of wine you've never tried before is a better idea than buying the whole bottle, especially if it is an expensive wine. Most people have strong preferences about wine, so it is best to find the type of wine and flavor that works best for your individual taste buds.
Related Buying Guides
External Links
- Fine Wine Diary -- gives detailed ratings and reviews.
- Wine Web -- Directory of over 34,000 wineries. Buy direct from winery. Read reviews, visit forum, get recommendations, wine club info.
- Finest Wine -- offers standard wine, as well as rare and big bottles.
- Taylor and Norton -- has a nice site to browse with easy-to-find ratings and collectible bottles.
- Wine Serving and Temperature -- make sure you know the correct temperature for serving all your favorite wines.
- Wine-Searcher.com -- a resource for locating and pricing wines.
