At the mention of wine, you think of relaxation, nice meals, and the finer things in life. Even if you do not drink a lot, the more you know about wine, the more versatile a host you will be. It helps with cooking, gives you knowledge to astound loved ones and provides many other rewards.
Don’t be scared of labels containing sulfite warnings. While any wine contains sulfites, only those bottled in America must make note of this on the label. While it is possible for sulfites to cause allergic reactions, there is no need to worry if this has not been a problem in the past.
Get out of your area of comfort when you buy wine in a restaurant. Choose a different wine to impress your fellow dinner guests. They won’t know what the wine will be like and they won’t be surprised by the price either.
A perfect after dinner drink that a lot of people seem to enjoy is a wine that is rich in flavor. French Champagne, California Port and Italian Moscato are all great choices. Dessert wines are great for sitting by the fire and enjoying intellectual conversations with friends.
The first two years is the prime time to drink whites, while they are young and new. Except for Chardonnay. The difference is due to the fact that Chardonnay is aged in oak barrels, unlike other white wines. The opposite may hold true for darker wines and different varieties.
If you are serving your wine, you need to have good wine glasses. It should look good, as the glass can impact how your guests feel about the wine itself. If your stemware is starting to age or chip, investing in a new set is a great idea.
Many varieties of wine will go well with your favorite dessert. Choose a sweeter wine for serving with dessert. Ruby port or tawny port wines complement desserts and chocolates with a natural sweetness. These wines taste best when served at 55 degrees.
Vintage isn’t talking about the year it’s produced, but when its grapes were harvested. A wine that is labeled 1990 would of had its grapes harvested in the year of 1990. The wine is fermented to give it the taste that you get in the end product. It’s quite possible that two or three years could pass by the time the bottle reaches the store.
Don’t allow other people to influence your taste in wine. If you enjoy a particular wine, then that is the wine for you. Use this as your guideline. Opt for wines that you enjoy instead of ones that others enjoy. The upshot here is that if your friends don’t like your favorite, you can save more for yourself!
If you’re at a party where everyone is drinking wine, there may be some toasting going on. This will result in the delightful tradition of clinking glasses. If not done correctly, this can cause your glass to shatter, creating a large mess. To avoid such a violent outburst, clink your glass at a slight angle. The bell of your glass should be aligned with the bell of the other sipper’s glass, with the rims pointing away from one another.
Experiment with your wine and food pairings to determine how best to enhance the flavor of each. You will be surprised when you find a new pairing that someone else may not have shared with you. Staying with a safe choice works fine, but experiment to really have fun with wine.
As you can see, there are many benefits to knowing about wine. It is not only about drinking alcohol and having a good time. It encompasses much more. Take the advice that has been provided to you in this article and make the most of your wine drinking experiences.
