the twelve steps

  1. Ninety percent of the wines out there are meant for immediate consumption, especially white wines. If you are interested in aging wines, pick higher end wines designed to stand the test of time.
  2. If you cellar wine, keep it between 55-62 degrees. Remember, heat destroys wine. If you have errands to run in the summer months, pick up you wine last. Think of it as ice cream, if it sits in your car long enough to melt, you are damaging your wine.
  3. If you are serving a young wine with dinner, pull the cork out and give the bottle some air for at least an hour. The bigger the wine, the better it will taste if the bottle has some time to “breathe.”
  4. Don’t be afraid to try wines with screw tops, especially wines from Australia and New Zealand. One out of every 12 bottles is “corked.” This is a bacteria that is sometimes found in cork. It gets in the wine, ruining the nose and the palate with a wet newspaper smell.
  5. Experiment, experiment, experiment! The best way to understand grape varietals is to try as many as you can. You will find that certain wineries make wines that your palate enjoys more than others.
  6. This may sound snobby, but invest in good wineglasses, they make a world of difference.
  7. Learn to identify the nose and flavor of the wines you drink. This will improve your ability to pair foods with your favorite wines. Don’t worry if you can’t do this right off the bat. These things take time and after a while, it will be second nature.
  8. Keep it simple. There is so much to learn about wine to the point of intimidation. Remember, this is supposed to be fun. Invite your girlfriends over for food and wine and ask their opinions. I have found that I learned more about the pairings that weren’t the best matches than I did about the ones that worked. You make a few adjustments and try again.
  9. If you want to learn more, subscribe to a food magazine like Bon Appetit. They often have great food and wine suggestions. They also have great descriptions of the recipes, giving you a better feel for what wines to serve.
  10. Don’t be intimidated by wine labels, especially French ones. The French make some of the best wines in the world. The labels actually provide you with a wealth of information including the producer and the region.
  11. Try wines from all over the world! There are so many different regions with their own distinct style of wine making. What if the one region you don’t try is the region you would love best? Soon you will find that you have a favorite grape varietal, a favorite region in the world and a favorite wine maker.
  12. Still have questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me. I love to talk about food and wine!