The best way to sound like a wine expert and impress people (even though you’re new to the wonderful world of wines) is to start working on your finesse.
There are a few simple tips and tricks you can learn to start looking like a pro at dinner parties and other kinds of fancy social gatherings before you know it.
Here’s how you can get started:
1. Know where wine comes from
Most wine is made from grapes, but unlike the ones you usually see in the fruits section of the supermarket, wine grapes much smaller, have seeds, and are mostly darker in color.
Aside from the grape variety, there are also other factors that could determine the type of wine in your glass, such as climate, rainfall, and even soil texture.
“Old world” wines, those from France, Italy, and Spain, tend to focus on environmental factors, while “New World” wines from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States tend to focus more on the grape variety.
2. Think ANP: appearance, nose, palate
If there’s one thing you absolutely need to know, it’s these three that serves as the basic steps you need to savor a glass. Once you’ve poured your wine, place it against a clean, white surface to get a better idea on its color and appearance.
To get a better grasp on the wine’s aroma, give it a good swirl before sniffing, and start with a small sip to take the time to determine its flavor profile. Naturally, the taste will match the smell.
3. Don’t force yourself to speak the language
Even though knowing a little bit about the basics helps a lot, there’s no need to know all the notes and terminology. When you’re just a beginner, as long as wine smells like wine, you can start there.
It’s usually best to start with simpler terms, such as “fruity” or “spicy” when it comes to the taste, or “rich” and “light” when it comes to texture.
4. Right food, right wine
Wine preferences can be subjective since people have different tastes, but it’s still important to know the basic pairings, since having the right wine to go along with your meal can enhance your dining experience greatly.
This simple rule of thumb goes as follows: white wine goes best with light meats, like fish and chicken, while red wine goes best with red meats, such as pork and beef.
5. Check in on your friends’ preferences
And because wine tastes are subjective, it’s all the more important that you check in on what your friends prefer if you do decide to host a wine tasting or offer them any.
The best way you can go about doing this is by paying attention to their preferences the first time, but if you didn’t, you can always make an estimate based on the occasion.