GrapevineWineWorks

I admit it, I am a bit of a wine freak. There’s something about the endless varieties of a drink that comes from a grape that seems to fascinate me. Wine has got to be one of the finest drinks the planet has to offer today. People drink it at parties and at dinners and at weddings – it has really become the drink of those with fine tastes.

Nonetheless, you can find a number of varieties of wine and anymore, it seems like there are more brands than stars in the sky. So making a purchase decision may be quite confusing for a person who’s just starting out. So what I want to do here is explain the basics of what there is to choose from in the vast world of wine.

First, as you may know, there are four kinds of wine from which to choose: white wines, red wines, blush wines and dessert wines.

Red wines can be broken down into categories like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, zinfandel and are the most commonly consumed wines at dinner. White wines – chardonnay and Riesling mostly – are quite typical to have with lighter foods or meals that take place earlier in the day.  Blush wines are largely used for picnics; they’re rarely had with large meals. And dessert wines – ports and Sherries for instance – are often preferred with cakes or other dessert-type foods.

So we now know what the different kinds of wines are. But how do you choose which one in particular? When buying wine, many people consider the “Three P’s” when making their selection of wine for an occasion.

The first “P” refers to price, which is a big factor when searching for wines because most people assume wine is high-priced. But on the cootrary, you no longer have to spend $30 every time you want a very good bottle of wine – you will find a lot of options accessible for under $15.

I have even found highly rated wine for as little as $5.95, believe it or not. The larger stores will often have tags that indicate a rating for a particular wine, and I have made some spectacular finds this way. So don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

However, I will recommend avoiding the $1.99 specials if you see one – before sampling a $1.99 bottle of wine, I had no idea just how bad wine can taste . So, some wine is inexpensive for a reason. Just stick to the highly rated and tagged items, and you’ll stand a better chance of making a good pick.

The next “P” stands for preference, which can be just as critical as the price since wine preference is usually an acquired taste. This means that, if you are throwing a party, for example, you need to take into account whether or not the stronger wines will be suitable. Go with “softer” red wines like merlot or even a pinot noir to be confident that everyone will enjoy the wine. And if your preference is white wines, I’ve found that a pinot blanc or chardonnay are among the safest choices.

And also the last “P” is rather critical too – it stands for pairing. When buying a wine, think about what you are planning to have with it.
The conventional wisdom is that you can pair white wines with light foods like fish or chicken, and red wines with heavy dishes that include red meat like steak or roast. But in practice, I have found that if someone prefers red wine (me for example), they would often rather have it no matter what else is being served with it. So no matter what you choose, consider the “Three P’s”, but at the same time, use your best judgement to ensure a good pick for yourself or the people you’ll be entertaining.