13 Tips for Choosing, Buying and Storing Wine
At the restaurant
1. Ask the staff for advice; they should be well acquainted with their drinks list.
2. Choose the wine the restaurant recommends on its wine list. It is generally the best value-for-money option as well as the product with the highest rotation.
3. If we find ourselves tackling the wine list on our own, we should look for a wine that we know. This can provide a good reference point and help us get a sense of the way the restaurant prices its wines. Once we have an estimated price and an idea of what we are willing to spend, we can make our selection.
4. Choosing a region can give us an immediate, general idea of the wine's character. In broad terms:
· White wine from a cold region: aromas reminiscent of green apple
· White wine from a warm region: aromas reminiscent of ripe apple
· Red wine from a cold region: aromas reminiscent of red fruit
· Red wine from a warm region: aromas reminiscent of fruit compote
5. Choosing the vintage. The vintage is an interesting factor, because it can give us a better sense of the wine's character. Depending on the style of wine we prefer, we should choose one that has been aged for a longer or shorter period of time. They are all good—what we need to know is what we want:
· Young wine: generally, young wines tend to have higher acidity, greater aromatic expression and higher tannin levels.
· Aged wine: usually aged wines are more balanced in terms of acidity, slightly subtler aromatically speaking, with greater complexity and more integrated tannins.
6. Choosing the varieties. While it is true that depending on the variety, a wine may display more color, aroma, sweetness or tannins, it is better to choose a wine based on the region and type of wine (either a dryer or a sweeter wine, regardless of the variety).
7. After ordering the wine: When the waiter brings us the bottle, we need to pay attention to the vintage and the condition of the bottle. If we are satisfied, the waiter will open it so that we can taste the wine. What should we do? We take a sniff, then a small sip to taste it. If we like the wine, we give our okay.
8. If the wine has gone off: We should ask the waiter to try the wine and give us his or her opinion. If the waiter notices that the wine has indeed gone off, he or she will bring us another bottle.
At the supermarket
9. Generally speaking, wines are organized according to type and style as well as region and price on store shelves. This makes it easy to find the style of wine we are looking for based on what we like.
10. The supermarket shelf allows for more immediate contact with the product. We can handle the bottles, examine their condition, read the front and back label. These will provide us with the following information:
Name of the wine, producer, bottling company, place of origin, location, vintage, ABV, grape varieties, type of aging, description of the region or winery, tasting note.
At home
11. Whenever possible, we should buy wine far enough ahead of time to let the bottle rest at home. If we do not have a wine cabinet, the best bet is to store the bottles in an area where they are not exposed to significant shifts in temperature or bright light.
12. Wines that should be served cold: place the bottles in the fridge a few days before serving to gradually chill them. The freezer should be the last resort. A better option is to use an ice bucket or other container with ice, water and a bit of salt. Make sure the bottle is open before placing it in the bucket. This ensures better and faster cooling.
13. If we do not have a suitable place to safely store our red wines, it is best to leave them in the fridge and take them out a few hours before serving. Remember, the fridge is not a replacement for a proper storage system and should not be used to keep wine for long periods of time. The cork can dry out, causing the wine to deteriorate very quickly.