Wine is the way to go when you want to elevate your friendly gatherings or add a little luxury to your meal—that is if you know what kind of wine you’re buying. Choosing the perfect wine for your occasion is far from easy with so many varieties and options available. The world of wine can be daunting to step into.
Luckily, you don’t have to be an experienced sommelier to learn your way around the endless types of reds and whites out there. With a little bit of beginner knowledge and a willingness to experiment with different flavors, you can master the art of finding the perfect bottle of wine. Learn what you should know about choosing the right wine for you in this beginner’s guide.
What Characteristics Do You Like?
The first thing you need to know is that wine preferences are subjective, just like any food or drink. While there are low- and high-quality wines, the best option will depend on your taste buds and preferences. So, how do you choose the best one for your tastes? First, you must understand the different characteristics of wine and how they affect the overall sipping experience.
Sweetness
One of the most important questions to ask when choosing the right wine for you is whether you like sweet or dry wines. Wine’s sweetness revolves around the grapes’ sugar. A higher amount of sugar making it through the fermentation process creates a sweeter wine. Therefore, little-to-no residual sugar after fermentation creates a dry wine. Of course, you can also choose a semi-sweet or semi-dry wine if you want to enjoy something closer to the middle of the spectrum.
Acidity
Acidity also plays a role in the overall taste and feel of the wine. Acidity also affects how the wine pairs with food, how well it ages, and more. A high-acidity wine has a tart and crisp flavor, while low-acidity wines are rounder and richer. Many things can affect wine’s acidity, including the climate of the region it comes from and when winemakers pick the grapes. As grapes ripen, the acid in them turns into sugar. Later harvests and warmer climates mean riper grapes, which means more sugar and less acidity for the resulting wine.
Body
You’ve probably heard people talking about full-body or light-body wines, but what does that mean? The wine’s body refers to the heaviness (or lightness) of each sip. Body also describes the wine’s thickness or viscosity. Fuller wines—usually reds—feel heavier in the mouth as you drink, while light-body wines like white wines feel lighter.
Factors like how you age the wine or what kind of fermentation process you use can influence the wine’s body. For example, oak-aged wines tend to be fuller-bodied. Higher alcohol content, sweeter varieties, and low acidity also lead to a fuller body.
What Are Tannins?
Tannins are a compound within the skin, seeds, and stems of wine grapes. They bring a bitter taste and a dry feel to the wine. Red wines tend to have a higher level of tannins because they use the entire grape—including skins and stems—in the winemaking process. Therefore, red wines are generally dryer and more bitter than white wines, which only use the juice from the grapes.
Wine Tastes Evolve
Your wine preferences can change over time. Wine is an acquired taste for some that takes time to adjust to—like coffee. Many first-time coffee drinkers need a higher amount of cream or sugar to enjoy the drink. Over time, though, they start to enjoy the taste of coffee more and might even start to enjoy black coffee. Wine preferences can develop similarly.
Lighter, sweeter wines with a low acidity level—like a sweet white or rosé—are a great entry point into the world of wine. Try a semi-sweet or semi-dry white wine if a sweet white is too sweet for you. Then, you can experiment with different levels of sweetness and acidity to find what appeals to you. Remember, your tastes can continue to change over time, so try to branch out and experiment with new varieties occasionally.
Look for Detailed Labels
An artistic wine label with eye-catching illustrations will grab your attention, but a label with plenty of details will keep it. Make sure you look past the visually appealing product packaging to learn more about the wine itself when you’re buying wine. Generally, a more detailed label denotes a higher-quality wine. Information like specific wine regions, grape varieties, harvest years, and a description of the wine’s sweetness, acidity, tannins, and body help you learn more about the wine and its quality.
Give Yourself Options When You Host
You’ll want to choose options that most if not all your guests will enjoy if you’re buying wine for a get-together. Make sure you have at least one white and one red at the party to make things easier. Additionally, try to choose wines with moderate traits. For example, a semi-sweet white and a semi-dry red will appeal to a wider range of people than wines at the more extreme ends of the spectrum.
Have Your Wine Complement Your Meal
Choosing a bottle that pairs well with the meal you’ve prepared is another option when buying wine online for yourself or your guests. The right wine will complement your meal by balancing and enhancing the flavors of the dishes you serve. The result is an elevated dining experience for you and your guests.
Generally, lighter entrees like chicken or fish work best with white wines, while heavier dishes like red meats pair well with full-bodied red wines. You can also try to balance or complement specific flavors. For example, acidic foods like those with citrus flavors need an acidic wine, otherwise the food’s flavors will overpower the wine. However, you’re better off balancing saltiness with a sweeter wine when it comes to salty foods.
Buy Luxury Wines From Hotel Collection
What you should know about choosing the right wine for you is that Hotel Collection has the perfect wine to improve any occasion, whether you’re planning a dinner party or treating yourself to a quiet night of self-care. Explore our elegant range of luxury wines when you buy wine online at Hotel Collection today!
