The World of Wine: Where Do I Start?

From beginner to wine connoisseur, here is a great place to start learning!

There are many kinds of wine people, ranging from those with very little experience to certified 'cork dorks'. These two types of people will have wine collections that look vastly different. However, both types can use the same strategy when it comes to purchasing and consuming their wine. The goal is to make smarter purchase decisions, select appropriate wine for the food, or occasion, and overall maximize your enjoyment.

"Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized." - André Simon

Understand Your Palate

It is important to be aware of your palate preferences, without judgment. If you are unsure what type of wine you have a preference for, the solution is to try anything and everything. Start keeping a wine journal or find a wine app that offers a journaling function. Write down what aspects you like and dislike about each wine you taste. This will be helpful to look back on to discover what patterns emerge when it comes to your taste preferences.

Research and Learn

Once you have identified the patterns in your taste preferences, you can begin to research what types of wine you should try. For example, if your preference is for a light-bodied red wine with fruit-forward flavors and soft tannins, type that exact sentence into Google and it can show you what different types of wines have similar tasting notes which you should then try.

One cardinal rule that I always tell my clients is to focus on the flavors of the wine, not on the grape varietal. This is because you can use vastly different varieties of grapes or a blend of grapes to achieve similar flavors. But, if you get stuck on the idea that 'you only like Cabernet Sauvignon', not only will it heavily limit your perspective but you will find that you may not like every Cab Sauv that you taste due to different winemaking techniques or this varietal from different parts of the world.

Stay Curious

At the end of the day, you are not going to love every glass of wine you meet. However, by staying curious and open to trying new things you allow yourself to fall in love with something new that you might not have expected.

You may also find that your 'trusted and true' favorite wine may taste different year over year, but that does not mean that the wine should be written off in your books. It means that instead of it being your go-to after-work sipper, it may be suited for a heavier meal or paired with specific food to bring out the best in the wine. After all, if you find you're not loving a particular bottle then you've found an excuse to make some sangria!

Need Help?

Looking for expert advice to help you on your wine journey? Contact me to discuss your wine goals!