When you think of wine, gourmet meals, relaxation and the good things in life come to mind. Even if you’re not a big drinker, knowing more about wine has its many uses. You can learn to cook better, impress others, and much more.
What you like when it comes to wine is what is most important. While professional wine tasters have strong opinion over which wines are best, studies have been done that show that the average person actually prefers less expensive wine if they do not know the price. There’s no shame in liking an inexpensive vintage. You want to enjoy what you’re drinking.
If you tend to drink wine with your meals and find you are starting to get headaches afterward, try reducing your wine intake. Wine has a large amount of sulfites, which can give you headaches if you have it often. Drinking in moderation will probably be your best bet.
Serve wine at the proper temperature in order to coax the best flavor from each glass. Red wines are best when served at 60 degrees. Begin serving your wine when the temperature registers at 58 degrees since it will warm a bit in the glass. The ideal temperature for white wine is 47 degrees. If white wines get too warm, they can taste dull.
Red and white wines have their own separate style of glassware. White wines need a more narrow glass, so that warm air cannot readily reach the wine’s surface. Reds, however, are best in a wider, large-mouthed glass. A wide glass allows air to touch red wine and enhance its flavors.
Do not stay in your comfort zone when ordering wine at a restaurant. In order to make a favorable impression on those with whom you are dining, select a wine that they are not likely to be familiar with. The price will seem more worthwhile and it will make you appear more knowledgeable.
If you love wine, visit wine country some time. Visiting the spot where grapes are produced and wine is processed can add greatly to your enjoyment of wine. Touring a vineyard can teach you a great deal about wine. Therefore, you will learn something and be able to relax on your trip.
White wines should be consumed within the first two years of purchase. Chardonnay, however, is the exception to this rule. This is because producing most white wines does not entail the use of oak. The opposite of this usually is true for wines that are darker, along with various other types of wine.
Don’t fall for marketing strategies. Sometimes restaurants and bars promote specific brands of wine. Generally speaking, many of these labels are marked up drastically. A higher price does not guarantee the wine will be of high quality. Figure out what you enjoy and stick to it.
Don’t fall into the trap of filling your cellar with all the wines that you enjoy right now. Even though you might think that it’s best to keep a good supply of your favorite bottles, for the most part your preference for wine will change on a daily basis. So, even though you might like a wine now, you may feel differently about it later. This will leave you short on space and heavy on wine you no longer like.
You should now understand the numerous benefits that wine can offer you. Wine knowledge is multi-faceted. It involves much more. Use the information laid out here, and you’ll start seeing how you are going to benefit from it.