You don’t have to be an aficionado to get the most out of wine, but a little bit of wine know-how can help you to enjoy it all the more. Here are some top wine tips from one of the leading independent wine merchants in the UK, Best Cellars (http://www.bestcellars.co.uk/
1) Ignore the wine snobs. While there is less snobbery about wine than there used to be, there are still those that like to cloak it in mystery, but there is no need. You don’t need to sniff, slurp and regurgitate wine like a professional wine taster or confidently describe the nuances of a wine. Just trust your instincts and go with what you enjoy.
2) Open your mind and don’t be afraid to experiment. People can be intimidated by the world of wine (unless they follow the advice in tip one!) which can stop them straying into unknown wine territory. If they don’t know much about wine, they feel they should stick with what they know and like. Trusting your instincts is great, but don’t limit yourself. The world of wine is open to all and the internet can give you a huge amount of easily accessible information on grape varieties, how to taste wine, which wine complements certain foods and information on wines from around the world. A little bit of knowledge can give you the confidence to choose wines from regions you have never tried before.
3) Combine wine with food. There’s more to this than ‘red wine with meat, white wine with fish’ – a ‘rule’ that has been debunked as there are lots of reds that complement fish dishes and whites that bring out the best in meat dishes. The right wine will combine with the right food to provide a far more enjoyable drinking experience. And finding out what combines well is fun – simply buy mixed cases of wine, plan some recipes, do a little research and try some combinations!
4) Get advice. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice in wine shops. Helpful wine merchants will be only too pleased to offer their expertise – after all, wine is often their passion. You can get tips on the right wine to have with a particular meal or ask their opinion on English wine or New World wines. Any wine merchant worth their salt is a mine of helpful information waiting to be tapped!
5) Change the way you buy wine. More people buy wine online than ever before. Not only is it convenient, enabling you to buy in bulk with wine delivery to your door, but it’s also a great way to combine learning about wine with the purchase itself. An online wine shop will often have helpful descriptions of each wine, often in more detail than you get on labels in high street wine stores. You can take advantage of some great deals when buying wine by internet, too.
Even wine ‘newbies’ can make sure they’re getting the most out of one of the world’s finest pleasures by following these top wine tips. Find out more information on choosing wine and buy online at http://www.bestcellars.co.uk/
Editor’s Note: Best Cellars (http://www.bestcellars.co.uk/)
