Have you ever found yourself in the middle of the wine aisle, confused as to which bottle you should pick? I think we’ve all been there a time or two, and it can be really daunting and overwhelming to find a good bottle of wine. There are so many choices and if you don’t know much about wine, you probably don’t even know where to begin.
I’m here today to give you a few tips and tricks so you can feel more confident the next time you venture down the wine aisle. I’ve spent a lot of time and money on wine, so I feel like I might know a thing or two when it comes to picking a good bottle. Below are five simple rules I try to follow whenever I am picking out a new wine.
- Look for an older vintage.
- If you find a 2015 and a 2016 vintage, I would pick the older one. Typically, the older wine is going to taste a little bit better and more mature. This isn’t going to be true 100% of the time, but in general, this is a good rule to follow. You should pay attention to this more with your red wines, especially when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon and red blends. I always try to find something at least 3-4 years old if I am buying a Cabernet.
- Don’t pick the wine based off an attractive label.
- Sometimes, I see people buying a bottle of wine because they like the design of the label. This is not a valid reason to buy a bottle of wine! Some of the best wines I’ve had don’t even have a label. Basically, don’t be sucked in because of a cute name or label. Also, don’t discount other wines because their label looks to plain.
- Consider what you are pairing it with.
- Are you going to be drinking this wine with dinner? If so, consider what type of food you are eating. If you are cooking fish, I would try a white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. If you are cooking barbecue, I would try a Zinfandel. If you are making a big piece of steak, go for a Cabernet Sauvignon. I love pairing wine with food, and it is really enjoyable to have something that goes well with what you’re eating. A good wine pairing can completely transform your meal and take it to the next level.
- If you aren’t pairing your wine with food, I would pick a bottle based off the weather. If it’s hot out, I would go for something really light like a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. If there’s a chill in the air, I would opt for a nice red blend or a Syrah.
- Read the entire label.
- You can find a lot of useful information on a bottle of wine. Pick up the bottle and read the back of the label. You might be surprised at how much detail they give you on that little label. I love knowing where the grapes were grown, and I love finding tasting notes on the back of the bottle. If you buy a blend, they might give you the breakdown and percentages of each grape in the wine. I have purchased wines because of what I have read on the back of a bottle, and I have also put the wine back on the shelf because of what I have seen on the label.
- If they are sampling something, try it.
- I don’t know if I just get lucky, but it seems like they are always doing free samples of wine at our local grocery store. I always take the free samples because this is how I learn about wine and discover new varietals. It seems like they do more wine sampling on the weekend, so I would make a trip to the grocery store on Saturday or Sunday. I have found several great bottles due to the free wine samples. Also, don’t feel obligated to buy the bottle if you take a free sample. If you didn’t like it, don’t buy it! Simple as that.
I hope you found this to be helpful, and I hope you learned a thing or two when it comes to picking out that perfect bottle of wine. At the end of the day, you should buy what you like and what’s in your price point. Don’t be afraid to try new things and have fun with it! You don’t need to be a mater sommelier to find a good bottle of wine on the grocery store shelf.
How do you shop for wine? Do you like picking something at random? Or do you go in knowing the exact bottle you want to purchase? I’d love to hear what your thoughts are on this topic!
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