Now I wouldn’t go calling myself an expert, but I mean they don’t call me “The Wine Drinking Mom” for nothing, so in honor of #NationalDrinkWineDay I decided to extend 10 Wine Tips for Beginners.
1. Choose The Right Glass- The Bigger the Better
Different types of wine should be served in a particular type of glassware. For example, a tall, thin glass, also known as a flute is usually used for champagne or sparkling wine. A small stemmed glass is mainly used to serve fortified or dessert wines. Then you have glasses with wider cups and rims for red and white wines. Now don’t go thinking you have to out and buy new stemware, It’s enough to have a set of medium-sized glasses with stems that are versatile enough for many different wines. Besides, serving wine in stemmed glasses always looks and feels more classy than a plain old glass. You may also purchase a decanter and glass set.
When you decant wine, you should do so carefully and slowly so that any sediment stays in an original bottle.
1 : to draw off (a liquid) without disturbing the sediment or the lower liquid layers
Decanting is also a great way to aerate your wine which will enhance the flavor. Of course, if you don’t like the idea of decanting wine, you can always use aerators.
2. Learn to Handle Wine
Electric Wine Openers will be your best friend, there are certain ways to open bottled wine and indeed how to handle the bottle, and when you’re ready to open a bottle after a long day … the easier the better. These are simple to use and will get the cork out in seconds. Once opened, limit the amount of time you handle the bottle. The heat from your hands will not be kind to the wine for extended periods. Keep the wine on the table or get yourself an ice bucket. (depending on the type of wine) to keep your wine at the right temperature.
3. Educate Yourself About Correct Serving Temperatures
As a general rule of thumb, red wines are usually served at room temperature, which white wines taste better when they’re chilled. However, some red wines actually taste pretty good even after being chilled (red dessert wines, such as Red Moscato) Many bottled wines have a temperature suggestion on the label but you can always do some online research or ask the people who work at your local liquor supplier. Often, you’ll see which wines need to be chilled at your local liquor supplier because these wines will be in the refrigerators.
One thing you should avoid is putting opened bottles of wine in the fridge, then taking them out again and refrigerating them again. These drastic fluctuations will cause the wine to sour a lot faster. If you have an opened bottle of wine that has been in and out of the fridge, play it safe and keep it for cooking.
4. Go on a Wine Tour- a judgment-free place to get drunk
One of my favorite day dates, you can go with your boo, your family or your friends.
Most wineries offer tastings. Some are free while others charge a small tasting fee. This is the perfect way to try different wines, and what’s more, local wines. The servers or sommeliers at these places are quite knowledgeable about the different types of wines and the best ways to taste them and inhale each unique bouquet.
One of the best aspects of wine tours is that many offer lunch as part of the wine tasting tour package. You’ll get to enjoy the perfect food and wine pairing and get a greater understanding of wine. These vineyards are usually set in rural areas so you can enjoy a little bit of luxury in a beautiful, natural setting. If you’re really lucky, you’ll discover your favorite type of wine so you’ll know what you want to buy in the future.
5. Always Keep the Popular Wines Stocked
Once you start getting familiar with wine, you will want to keep some bottles on hand at all times in case company comes by. You may also simply like to open a bottle after a hard day’s work and relax with a nice glass. Whatever your reason, you will want to have some wine on hand for any occasion, or even just to spoil yourself once in a while.
Try to keep a few bottles of popular types of wine so that you’re ready for anything. They don’t need to be very expensive and if you’re really strapped for cash, a box of wine is perfectly suitable (not my fav but hey it does the trick). If you can afford bottles, aim to have a couple of bottles each of red and white wine in your home.
6. Wine Storage is Actually Important
If only we could all afford a wine fridge or cellar, talk about goals right? I’d try to live in mine; get away from these damn kids. If you have several bottles of wine, but don’t really drink a lot, then you need to have some type of shelving that allows you to lay your bottles so that the bottom of the bottle is at a higher angle than the top of the bottle. Keeping bottles like this ensures the cork will not dry out and will keep the wine within a drinkable condition.
Whenever possible, keep your wine in a cool dark place like a pantry or inside a kitchen cabinet. However, if you do store your bottles in the kitchen, keep them as far away from the oven as you can. Prolonged exposure to the heat from your oven will deteriorate the quality of the wine and possibly turn it into something that closely resembles vinegar (GROSS).
7. Learn to appreciate the Internet a Little More- Check out Some Wine Apps
We use our phones for Facebook, Instagram, and almost every other social media, why not use it to learn about wine? There are literally hundreds of apps that can offer advice on which wines to select, how to store them, how much to pour and a host of other useful bits of information. Get this a lot of apps even allow you to order wine right to your front door within hours, one of my favorite kinds of shopping!
Get the most out of technology. You’ll have all the information you could possibly want as a novice wine lover right in the palm of your hand, hell you can eve learn to host your own tastings.
8. Make Friends at the Liquor Store
I mean… most of us already are, but if you’re not get on it! Use their expertise to your advantage. Ask them about the different types of wine they have on offer and ask if they’ve tried that particular wine. Not only will they be able to show you the top wines in the store, but you’ll also see the ones that are on sale too, and you know we love a good sale! Not to mention you’ll get first dibs on invites to in-store tastings!
9. Join The Club- A Wine Club That is
Have you heard of Black Girls Wine? https://www.blackgirlswine.com/
Thank me later.
Wine clubs are awesome, a group of fellow individuals who will meet periodically and discuss the various wines they have tried with information on each one, some local some online. In fact, some let you in on the best places to go for wine tastings, and new and exciting wines to try.
The other type of wine club is something along the lines of a “Wine of the Month” club. When you join this type of club you get a selection of wines monthly or quarterly. You will also get some reading material for all the wines you receive, the best new places to visit and, of course, the wine. You can then sit down in the privacy and comfort of your own home and enjoy the wines you have received.
10. Don’t Stop Sipping- Keep Trying Different Wines
“oh I only drink Moscato”– let’s ditch those “I only drink” attitudes please.
When you first start drinking, you may stumble upon a wine you like and want to buy it all the time. While it is important to enjoy the wine you buy, sticking to the same type over and over again will not only get boring, you’ll be putting limitations on your wine education. Every time you go to your local liquor store, look at the whole selection of wines on offer and choose a different one each time. Sure, you’ll occasionally come across a wine you don’t really like, but you’ll also find many that you will like.
Make sure you get out, another place to try great wines is at food and wine festivals. These are great because they often pair the wines you can sample with various cheeses and smoked meats. You’ll get to leave drunk and full.
Don’t forget your family and friends. Everyone has different tastes and shopping habits so when you’re visiting family and friends, accept a glass of wine from them. You’ll possibly be tasting something new and you’ll be able to discuss the wine like a pro in great company, very classy sis… very classy
Basically, after this you’ll be a wine connoisseur in no time.
Cheers and thank you for reading,
Mommi Ashley
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