On Wine: Pocketbook-friendly wines

On Wine: Pocketbook-friendly wines
Wine columnist Laurie Daniel dishes on wine discounts and pocket-friendly vintages.

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Some of the Best Ways to Preserve Wine

With the increasing popularity of wine, more people are becoming amateur wine collectors. The more you collect, the more you need to be careful about how to store it property. When we talk about wine storing, the very first thing come in to view is wine cellar, however it could be out of question for many people, although it is the perfect way to store wine. On the other hand, as you build up the collection there are few tips that can actually help storing wine and maintain its superb flavor with out wine cellar. The very first thing is to consider the kind of wine you need to store. Sparkling wine, for instance is the most susceptible to change when uncovered to sun and light. It is fine to maintain the wine bottle of sparkling wine out for some days, till it remained corked. If you are planning to wait few days before serving it, then better store these sparkling wines into variety of refrigerator. Remember, white wine is another more susceptible to changes from light or sun heat, so white wine must be stocked up either in a closed cool cupboard, or in the refrigerator. If you have fresh and good wines it is significant not to serve them at too chill of the temperature as this could actually spoil the flavor. The most favored temperature for severing white and sparkling varieties is 45° F. If you wish to store wine variety such as Merlots or Zinfandels in the refrigerator, it must be given a day for warm up to room temperature just before serving. Most of you may know that it is a common rule of not serving red wine chilled if wants to maintain the flavor. In case you intends to store wine in small wine rack, then store sparkling ones on the lowest rack then while ones and red ones above the white. This advice for storing wines is due to the fact that heat rises. Thus a wine needs the lowest temperature to remain fresh longer.If you select to store wine in a cabinet, there must be a good amount of air flow, since this could further stop mold from shaping, particularly on red wines. Be careful of old woods, which could cause the cap to rot. Any possible closet must as well cleared, and not smell stale or shows dry decay. Most wine fans also suggest that one store wine on its side wise, other than standing position. This maintains the wine in contact with the cap that stops air from getting into wine. Finally, one must never store wine along with other foods, which are able of fermenting. Fruit, green vegetables and cheese, which rot near a wine, could in fact cause the wine to start to die too, and these rotten flavors might enter the wine all the way through the cork.

Tips for Wine Storage

For the wine lovers the collection of the different varieties of wine is one of the most preferred jobs. The more the number of wines they collect the more they become crazy to collect some of the ecstatic wines and of course they should know how well they need to store their loved wines. However the majority of the people do not build the wine cellar which is one of the best ways to store the wine. They do not build the wine cellar because of the cost involved in it. However there is no thing to regret as there are many other ways in which you can preserve your lovable wines.

As the storage of the wines is concerned it is essential that you identify the types of the wines, as the different kinds of the wines require the different storage. For example the sparkling wine is more likely to change when it is exposed to light or direct sunlight. It is quite ok if you are planning to keep the wine in the bottle for few days outside, but incase you are intending to serve the wine after a few days then it is preferable that you store the sparkling variety of wine in the refrigerator.

On the other hand the white wines are also more prone to change when they are kept under the direct exposure of sunlight, so it would be preferable that you store the white wines in a cool place like the refrigerator. It is important to remember that while you are serving the some of the best wines not to serve then completely chilled as they tend to lose their flavors in extreme cold. The preferred temperature at which you can serve the white and the sparkling wines is not less than 45° F. As far as the wines which are served with the deserts, for these wines also they taste wonderful when they are served at the normal room temperature as the actual taste of wines is only felt at it.

Incase you are intending to serve the red wines like the Merlots then they have to be stored in the refrigerator, but as far as the serving is concerned red wines as a rule need to be served at the room temperature. As it is essential that one day before serving, you allow the wines to retain or get back to the room temperature.

Incase you are intending to store all our wines on to a shelf then it is ideal that you serve the sparkling wine on to the last shelf. The white wines can be preserved on the shelf above the sparkling wines and the red wines above the white wines. This suggestion is based on the fact that there is more heat as the height increases. Hence the wines like the sparkling wine that require low temperature rest beneath. The wine rack should not be in a position that is under the direct influence of sunlight. The other alternative to the wine rack can be a classic glass door refrigerator.

A Guide to Buying Australian Wine

Why buy wine?

In Australia, wine has become the new beverage of choice for people in all walks of life. Moreover, Australia has developed an enviable reputation amongst wine drinkers and appreciators the world over. Myshopping.com.au can help you make the right selection of wine for any occasion and to suit any taste. Listed on our website, you will find some of the most celebrated labels and award winning wines and you can make a selection based on reviews, price and supplier, regardless of why you want to purchase wine.

Wine

There are essentially three reasons that we can think of why you might want to buy wine: to drink in some social occasion, to give as a gift, or as an investment with a realisable future.

Buying wine to drink

Winemaker Greg Gallagher at the Charles Sturt University, South Australia, says judging a good wine is simple. “It starts with asking, ‘do you like it?’ ” he says, “and finishes with ‘did you like it?’” When you have a list of favourite wines, all you need to do is find them on Myshopping.com.au, and you will find out where it’s sold for the best price.

But, because it’s not always easy remembering the name, style and vintage of the wine you enjoy, it’s a good idea to keep a record of wines you drink that you really like (and those that you’d prefer to avoid), for future reference.

When you’re buying wine to drink, there are a number of considerations you might like to bear in mind, the first being: what is the occasion? It stands to reason that a wine for an intimate dinner with a partner might be a different choice than one for a footy night with the boys. Sharing a wine with someone is a lot more than simply sharing the drink. It’s also sharing your taste, your values and your standards, so it pays to think carefully about the occasion and the company with whom you are sharing the wine.

A second consideration might be, what is accompanying the wine? Wine is often enjoyed with a meal, but you might like to consider also how the occasion (or meal) will develop. Matching the perfect wine with the perfect food and mood is an exhilarating experience, and is often at the heart of great memories.

You may also want to consider the ambience of the occasion. A wine for enjoying at an evening symphony concert will have a different character to that enjoyed at a beach picnic.

Buying wine as a gift

Wine makes an excellent gift for many reasons. It’s an easy purchase; you can buy a wine to suit practically any budget. And it is a demonstration of your taste and standards, subtly imparted to someone whom you may care for.

However, as well as meeting your taste standards, you also need to choose a wine that will meet the tastes of the receiver. It pays to find out what sort of wine that person enjoys, and buy within that person’s style or region preferences. A person who enjoys sweet white wines will appreciate a gift that matches that personality.

Buying wine as an investment

Some wines make a good investment because they are rare and have an established reputation causing them to appreciate in value. Possibly the most famous of these in Australia is Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage, a Shiraz style Claret that has been made since 1951 (a bottle of that vintage now might set you back $50,000 or more if you can find one). Although young in terms of wine heritage, Australia has some notable wines that do and will appreciate in value.

A good investment wine is not necessarily a guarantee of a high quality drinking wine. The investment values are arrived at by reputation. A particular vintage may have enjoyed popularity for any number of reasons and become scarce because only a limited number of bottles were produced. What results is a collectors market and wine changes hands through auctions, private sales, estate dissolutions and wine club memberships.

What makes a good investment wine however, is the fact that you are able to sell the wine at some future date for a sum greater than what you paid. Therefore the condition of the wine-or more importantly, the bottle-is of paramount consideration. The provenance of an investment wine is important. Before buying, you need to establish its history of origin and previous ownership. Satisfied that the bottle is in good condition, once in your possession it needs to be cellared correctly in the absence of heat, light and movement. You should document your ownership and the conditions of its cellaring before selling it to a new buyer.

What makes good wine?

The winemaking process

The quality of a wine is affected by a wide variety of factors that occur in and as a result of the winemaking, cellaring and handling processes. One of the key factors is the terrain and climate, commonly referred to as a ‘region’, where the grapes are grown. Different conditions affect different varieties differently. A Shiraz style from McLaren Vale in South Australia, for example, is a heavier and darker wine than the same style from the Swan Valley in Western Australia, which tends to be lighter and more peppery. A Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley is more full-bodied than one from Margaret River.

While knowing which vines are best suited to a soil type and climate is one aspect, another is knowing when to pick the fruit for particular effect. The fruit’s flavour at the time of picking is a major character of the residual flavours of the wine. After initial fermentation, some winemakers choose to ferment in oak, others not to. Using oak affects the reduction of tannins in the wine. Different types of oak-English, American, old-affect the flavour and character of the wine as it matures to its nominal alcohol level. It is in the barrel that a lot of transformations in flavours and character occur, and a great deal of skill is required to know exactly when to bottle the wine.

Different winemakers have different techniques and, while a good wine can’t be made from bad grapes, it is largely the winemaker’s skill that produces a good wine.

Taste

One of the ways we can tell the quality of wine as judged by its taste, is whether it has had successes in any of a number of wine shows held around the country. Experts from the wine industry judge wines on their quality and medal winners enjoy the benefits of being recognised and written about in the main media.

While not every medal winner is a wine that suits our taste, it is as a direct result of the shows and competitions that Australian wines have grown in popularity and quality. At Myshopping.com.au you can compare many award winning wines.

What’s your taste?

Regions and style

When you are shopping for wine, one of the first questions to answer is whether you are choosing a red wine or a white wine. Once you have decided this, you can then start to narrow down the different styles. Begin with the question of whether you are seeking a dry wine or a sweet wine.

Styles of wine are named after the region from which the grape originated. In the popular dark reds you have the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot styles that tend to be drier wines. Lighter reds feature Beaujolais, Pinot Noir and Rose styles and these tend toward sweeter wines.

Popular white wines include the Chablis, Riesling, Semillon, Chenin, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay styles in dry wines, with Traminer Riesling, Moselle and late picked Verdelho in the sweeter styles. Aperitifs include sweet and dry sherry and Marsala. Dessert wines include Sauternes, Muscats and Ports.

Many wines are now presented as blended wines, a way to offer wider variety in taste and a way to use up less popular grapes and thereby minimise waste in the industry.

Australia has more than a dozen identified wine growing regions that produce distinctive wines of the main styles. The Barossa Valley in South Australia is possibly the most famous region with the richest heritage, and features many labels from subregions such as Claire Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills. These regions produce some of the most spectacular Riesling wines, and Shiraz styles in the country. East of this region, near the border with Victoria lies the Coonawarra district (also known as Riverland), famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon. In Victoria lie the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsular districts. The Goulbourn Valley lies on the border with New South Wales. The Hunter Valley in New South Wales produces some of Australia’s finest wines, while in the West, Margaret River, t4he Swan Valley and the Plantagenet districts all produce fine wines.

Trends

Recent economic conditions and consecutive years of oversupply have changed much of Australia’s wine market. There are many small boutique wineries whose products can be bought direct from the cellar door. Many of these wines are featured on Myshopping.com.au by style and region.

The wine industry is encouraging the buying of wines and cellaring them (storing them in a cool place) for a period of time and enjoying them at a later time. To cellar your wine, store it somewhere cool, dark, airy, and free from vibration and dampness. Temperature stability is the most important factor in preserving wine in the cellar. Storing wine in an environment where the temperature varies gradually with the seasons is better than in a room that varies with the day and night.

For long-term storage, the ideal cellar temperature is 18 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 60-75%. Warmer conditions accelerate the development of wines, which could mean a reduction in the pleasure of drinking them.

The second phenomenon to occur through oversupply is the introduction of cleanskins, a method of selling wine without a brand label. This is presented as being ‘money saving’ because of a reduction in marketing expense, however the real cost saving per bottle is around 3-5 cents (the cost of printing and applying a label).

Cleanskins enable a wine producer to present a lower cost bottle, but this is mostly achieved by not having to identify the origins of the grape, or the varietal blends that make up the wine. And while it is true that some cleanskins are eminently drinkable wines, evidence suggests that they are generally of a far poorer quality than branded label products. It is suggested that you taste the wine before purchasing any cleanskins.

Wine is a high fashion product, and wine trends emerge on a regular basis. The best way to follow these trends is to shop using Myshopping.com.au—comparing prices and suppliers, and following medal winning labels.

Wine Etiquette, Being Served, Serving and Tasting

It is proper wine etiquette to examine the label to be sure the producer and vintage match what you ordered. When the bottle of wine is presented, it may not make any difference to you but it can happen that a restaurant might be out of a particular vintage and substitute a different year. However, if you wanted to enjoy a wine you have experienced previously and a substitution was made, there will certainly be a difference. You may wish to order a different wine in such case. A different vintage could be trivial if it’s a simple Cotes du Rhone but it could be a significant difference if you were ordering a 2000 Bordeaux and received a 2002 instead.

Temperature

White and rose wines are best slightly chilled, at 50 degrees. Check that temperature is satisfactory. It is better for the wine to be too cold than too warm for either red or white. It isn’t improper wine etiquette to request an ice bucket to chill both whites and reds; so don’t hesitate to do so if that is how you would prefer to enjoy the wine. However, placing the bottle in an ice bucket can compromise your experience; fine white wines will release more texture and bouquet as they warm up in the glass; try it. Drinking a modest wine on a hot day would be the exception. A red wine that is brought to the table slightly chilled would be an indication of good storage; you can always warm up the wine by cupping the glass in your hands and swirling.

Cork

It is proper wine etiquette for the sommelier to present the cork to the person who requested the wine when the bottle of wine is opened. The vintage on the cork should match the vintage on the bottle. A pristine looking cork can stopper a bad wine and a delicious wine can come from a cork that disintegrates as it’s removed, so a visual inspection of the cork often reveals little. By sniffing the cork you’re actually smelling the bark of a tree which may be the earthy aromas you are encountering. Many a good bottle of wine has been mistakenly returned because there is mold on the top end of the cork. This has no effect on the wine; it simply means the bottle was aged in the producer’s damp cellar prior to release, which is a good thing.

Swirl & Sniff

Proper wine etiquette procedure dictates that the sommelier will pour a small amount of wine for the person that ordered the wine. The recipient should gently swirl the wine in the glass to release the aroma, give it a sniff, and then taste it. If there is an objectionable or unexpected aroma, the sommelier should recommend further aerating the wine in which case the “off odor” will dissipate, or replacing the bottle if called for. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between funky aromas that are inherent in certain wines and similar smells that are symptoms of a defect. Proper wine etiquette is to consult with the sommelier. A “corked” wine has been tainted by a moldy cork if you smell an aroma reminiscent of a “wet basement”. Unfortunately, the mold is not visible nor does the cork necessarily smell moldy. Since there are varying levels of cork taint, a corked wine can be overtly stinky or the fruit character is slightly muted; send the bottle back immediately If you perceive this to be the situation. If you’re not quite sure, in keeping with proper wine etiquette, politely ask the sommelier for an opinion.

Decanting

There are two reasons to decant a wine: (1) to separate the wine from the sediment in the case of a 20 year-old port or red wine; or (2) decanting and swirling the wine in the glass will do a far better job than opening the wine two hours prior and letting the wine “breathe,” which is not practical in most restaurant settings. White and sparkling wines rarely need extra breathing time. It is not proper etiquette or an acceptable practice to return a wine simply because you do not like it as much as you thought you might. The proper etiquette is to nod, say “thank you,” “it’s fine” or some signal for the sommelier to begin pouring after you have taken a sip. To allow enough space to swirl the wine, wine etiquette dictates that the glass is filled about one third full. Sparkling wines should be poured against or along the side of the glass to preserve the bubbles.

Wine etiquette may seem unnecessary, but following proper wine etiquette enhances the total wine drinking experience. Wine etiquette and all its subtleties are intended to slow the experience so the wine can be fully enjoyed and appreciated.

Burgers and wine perfect for the palate

Burgers and wine perfect for the palate
(ARA) – Ahh, the smell of burgers sizzling on the grill, the sound of a cork popping and the gathering of neighbors peering over the backyard fence in hopes of an invitation to dinner. Can it get any better than this?

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How to Buy a Bottle of Wine. Made Easy

If you are new to wine, you’ll soon find that the choice is endless when it comes to buying a bottle of wine – you’ll come across styles, prices and quality at all levels.  But if you are keen to bag yourself a decent bottle of wine (and at a decent price), you need to be savvy with your wine choices.

Pick your bottle of wine for the occasion

It’s worth thinking about the occasion and who will be drinking the bottle of wine when you buy it. A light, crisp Pinot Grigio may sound like a great option but if you serve it with a heavy red meat, like steak or lamb, the meat will be far too overpowering to do the bottle of wine justice. Similarly, there’s little point in buying your partner an expensive bottle of Bordeaux if they don’t like Classic red bottles of wine.

Hunt down the value

When buying your next bottle of wine, look to where the value is.  Chile, Argentina and South Africa are currently on the up and producing bottles of wine offering excellent value for money.

Look out for clever marketing

Watch out for the label that appears on the bottle of wine.  While a trendy label or fancy words may catch your eye, it has little bearing on the wine within.  Similarly if you go for a famous name or region, you’ll end up paying a premium.  The trick?  Pick a similar wine from a lesser know region.  An unoaked Chilean Chardonnay is a great alternative to a classic French Chablis for example.

Go for small producers

If you want to get the most value for money out of a bottle of wine, it’s worth picking a bottle of wine from small winemakers rather than big brand producers.  Why?  Well, the winemakers at these estates are not so concerned by profits and purchasing power like many of the mass producers.  Instead, they are simply looking to make great tasting bottles of wine, so you can be sure that you’ll be getting the best value for money as possible.

Focus on the “wine style” rather than grape or country

Rather than getting hung up on grapes and counties, it is often better to concentrate on wine styles as these can give you a lot more scope to choose from.  For example, if you find out that you like Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, chances are you’ll stick to that in future, but if you discover that you like “Huge Reds” (full bodied, fruity reds) then your choice will be opened to a host of different grapes including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Zinfandel from Old and New World Countries.  Look to a retailer who classifies wine in this way and see for yourself.

Understand what goes into the price of a bottle of wine

Finally, it’s worth knowing your budget and what goes into the price of a bottle of wine to make sure that you pay the optimum price for you.  If you buy a bottle of wine costing £3, only a few pence will go towards the wine.  Pay a little more, something in the region of £5, and you’ll get about 50p-£1 worth of wine.  But by the time you get to £7, you’ll be more than doubling the amount that gets spend on the wine.  However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the more and more you pay the better the wine, as by the time you get to £10 or above, it’s unlikely that the improvement in quality will rise in equal proportion to the increased spend.

The Glossary of Wine Terms

Acetic; This is what happens when the wine is exposed to air. It develops a vinegary taste or smell.

Acidity; All wines contain some level of acid. The acid level needs to be in a proper balance with the other components and fruits in the wine so that you should be able to taste the crispiness and liveliness of the wine. This acidity is also vital in the aging process of the wine.

Aftertaste; This is the impression of flavor that you will get once you have swallowed the wine. It is also called the “finish” of a wine.

Aroma; The smell of wines, especially that of young wines.

Aromatic; This is a term that this used for wines that have a distinct aroma, especially those with herbs and spices in them.

Astringent; This term is used when the tannin level in the wine dries out the mouth.

Austere; A somewhat hard tasting wine, where the character and fruitiness have been restrained.

Big; A full bodied powerful in aroma wine.

Bitter; This is usually considered as a fault bit it is also a characteristic of certain Italian wines.

Body; The weight and texture that is found in wines. You can describe a wine as light bodied or full bodied.

Bouquet; The intermingling of aromas that fine aged wines produce.

Breed; This is the term that is referred to as the bloodlines of the wine grapes. It is also used when noting the soil, the grapes and the techniques that are used to produce a good quality wine.

Chewy; This term is used to describe wines that have an unusual thick texture to the wine. It feels like you need to chew the wine before you swallow it.

Clean; Fresh wines that seem to have no defects. This term also refers to the aroma, appearance and flavor of the wines.

Complete; A mature wine that has a satisfying feel and a great aftertaste on the palette.

Complex; This is where you will find a combination of flavors and aroma elements in various types of wines.

Corked, corky; The wines smell like cork rather than wine. This is because it was bottled in correctly.

Deep; A wine that has many layers of taste that slowly reveals itself.

Delicate; A light fragrance, body and flavor in the wine.

Distinctive; An elegant and refined character in the wine that sets it apart.

Dry; There is a little amount of sugar in the wine.

Earthy; You can detect this in certain wines. The smell and flavor is bit like the earth or soil.

Elegant; A refined charactered wine. This is usually to describe a stylish and quality wine.

Extra dry; You can find this term on champagne bottles as they describe the wine.

Fat; A wine that is full of flavor and body.

Fine; A distinguished wine.

Flat; A wine that is lacking in liveliness. Also a wine with an insufficient amount of acid.

Flavor; Describing how the wine tastes.

Full; Describes a wine that has a rich body

Green; A tart wine that is made from unripe grapes. Also has a lack of fruit flavoring.

Grip; Firmness of structure and flavor.

Hard; Stiff and undeveloped.

Heady; High in alcohol and very full bodied.

Herbaceous; Aromas that are reminiscent of fresh grass or hay. It can also be a characteristic of some wines like Cabernets.

Honeyed; You will find a taste or smell that is like honey.

Intricate; The interweaving of subtle flavors and aromas within a wine.

Legs; The rivulets of wine that you see running down the sides of the glass after swirling or sipping the wine.

Length; The lingering aftertaste that you get from a wine.

Light; This refers to wines that are light in alcohol, weight and texture. The feeling that you get in the mouth when you drink the wine is also described as light.

Lively; A fresh wine that has vitality and crispness.

Mature; A fully developed, ready to drink wine.

Meaty; This is a wine that is firm in structure with a chewy, fruity taste.

Mellow; A smooth, soft wine that has no harsh characteristics.

Noble; Wines that have a great balance and a harmonious expression. The wines that are made from these types of grapes are considered as the finest wines in the world. You can find Merlot and Cabernet among this lot.

Nose; The smell that comes from the wine. You can get “good nose” or a “bad nose”. A term used to detect faults in the wine.

Nutty; A nutlike aroma that develops in some wines.

Oak, oaky; This is the flavor and aroma that comes from aging the wine in oak casks or barrels. The taste is a mixture of vanilla, spices, smokiness and cloves.

Open; You can get the full character from the wine.

Oxidized; Flat, stale wines. Wines that have a sherry like and flavor and aroma. The state where wines becomes spoiled due to exposure to air.

Petillant; A light sparkle that can be seen in the wines.

Rich; A full, opulent wine with good body and aroma.

Ripe; Mature, fully ripe fruit.

Robust; A powerful, full bodied and heady wine.

Sharp; Biting or acidic.

Smoky; The aroma and flavor that a wine can get from being aged in an oak barrel or casket.

Sparkling; This is used where there are bubbles that are detectedable in the wine.

Spicy; A wine that has the characteristics of spices like cloves, mint, pepper and cinnamon.

Structure; The way that a wine in made with regard to its proportions and composition.

Supple; A wine that is yielding in flavor and is ready to drink.

Sweet; This usually indicates the presence of grape sugar that have not been completely converted to alcohol.

Tannin; This is a natural substance that is found in the skins, stems and seeds of certain grapes. This substance is also a major component in the structure of red wines.

Tart; A sharp wine that is acceptable to drink if it is not acidic.

Thin; Lacking in body and flavor.

Tired; Where a wine is past its peak flavor development. Old.

Vanilla; You will get this scent from the aging process of oak caskets.

Velvety; Smooth and very rich in texture.

Vigorous; A wine with a firm, strong body and flavor and a lively fruitiness.

Vinegary; Having the smell of vinegar.

Watery; Thin and lacking in any flavor.

Weedy; You will get the flavors and aromas of grass or hay. This scent becomes unpleasant only in excessive amounts.

Weighty; Forceful, strong, full bodied and powerful – terms to describe wines.

Woody; The aroma that comes when wine has been over aged in barrels or casks.

Yeasty; A bread smell that can be sometimes found in wines that have gone through a secondary fermentation process like champagne. Can be appealing if it is not excessive.

Young; Simple fine wines that have yet to become mature. Still undeveloped.

Wine As A Gift

Gifts are indeed an exciting part of everyone’s life. Won’t it be a good idea to gift someone with a wine? How will you choose from many types that are available? You want it red or you just want it be old? Or do you just need the right blend?

A great evening without a wine is incomplete. So go ahead and select a bottle of wine to gift it to your friend and make the evening a lively one.

Wine is one of the greatest holiday gifts that you can give a person. It is festive. It is portable. It is timely as it will entertain the people more while they are on a holiday.

Just gift wrap the wine bottle and tie a bow to it. Even simpler, is to put the wine bottle in a cloth bag for wine or into a decorative paper cover. Moreover, one can find wine very easily. So what are you thinking?

For those who are confused with the criteria for selecting a wine, here are some tips.

1. If you do not have any clue about wine, then do go ahead and ask a person who has a thorough knowledge of the wine. You can even ask for the wine gal or guy of a firm to give you the details of the wine types as well as the prices.
2. If you have a budget allotted for buying the wine, then go in for categories of wine like French Bordeaux. But if you want really good wines, then definitely opt for categories like Italian Dolcetto.
But if you are picking up something that is of an unusual nature, then get the information about the food which can be paired with the wine and put it on the card accompanying the gift of wine.

Wine Guide – How to Make a Cheap Bottle of Red Wine Taste Expensive

 

There are a number of very decent red wines available on the supermarket shelves for less than $10 a bottle.  It is recommended however, to steer clear of the majority of French wines at this price, and instead to opt for a new world variety such as a Chilean Merlot or Shiraz  (Casillero Del Diablo Carmenere is a reliable favorite that is full of dark berry and chocolate flavours).  Aregentinian Malbec or a well rounded Australian Cabernet/Shiraz blend are also dependable choices  and if it’s Californian that you’re after then nothing beats Carmenet Cabernet Sauvignon for well rounded jammy notes and a peppery finish that belies it’s $7 price tag.

 

Decanting your Wine

Now that you have your wine, the next thing to do to release its potential is to decant it several hours before you intend to serve it and then leave it in a room temperature location (ideally between 62°F to 65°F).  If you’re worried about leaving it uncovered then by all means lay a piece of muslin or netting over the opening.  This will still allow it to breath and to begin to release all of its wonderful flavours as it rests in it’s new glass home.  Choose a decanter that has a wide rim for extra impact and that ‘wow’ factor on the dining table or sideboard.

 

The Right Glass

Use large round goblet glasses with extra wide rims.  These feel special and add even more to the psychological impact of the red wine to come.  The wide rims also help to release even more of the aromas and flavours of the wine, allowing them to burst in your mouth as soon as they touch your lips.

 

Warming the Glasses

Warm the glasses slightly if they feel cold.  As with your red wine, glasses should be room temperature or slightly above to fully accentuate the wine within them.

 

Choosing H’orderves

Provide a side order of salty ham slivers, mature cheeses and crackers if you’re serving the red wine before a meal, or without food, to compliment the rich fruitiness of the grapes and to enhance any subtle notes within your chosen variety.  

The above advice can make all the difference in fooling your guests taste buds into believing that your $6 bargain bottle is in fact a $100 gem of a vintage.  

 

 

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