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Feature
Article:
A Beginner's
Guide to Enjoying Red Wine
The world of red wines is a heady, rich and wonderful world filled with
everything from the nuanced subtlety of a gentle South African Merlot to
the peppery richness of Sangre de Toro, "Blood of the Bull" from
Spain. In general, many of the "rules" of wine drinking have been cast
aside in today's world, making it more accessible to every person, and
with the increased demand
supply has soared, allowing for inexpensive and very delicious wine
available to all. Still, there are many who feel that the world of wine
loving is not as yet open to them. With so many wines to choose among,
where do you begin? How do you properly enjoy a red or white and with what
meals would they be best? Let's look at some very basic tips to
maximizing your exploration of red wines. Don't spend a ton of money on
a bottle of wine. Leave that for later, once you've begun to explore
beyond the brands and varietals that you like.
There are so many wonderful and
delicious wines that are available for somewhere between $5 and $8 a
bottle, that you really should not need to drop $20 or $30 for a bottle of
wine...at least not yet. Stick with a varietal, for
now. In other words, pick a wine that is primarily made from one type of
grape, i.e. a Shiraz, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc. Try to avoid
blended reds to begin with, though they can be quite delicious. By
learning the flavors of the varietal grapes, you'll better understand
what it is about the blend that you like. Avoid flavored wines or coolers
that you can get at your local convenience store. These are little more
than non-bubbly soda pop with alcohol in them and can lead to a nasty
headache as they are hastily made from the least pure ingredients. Start
with a nice Merlot. The reason I recommend Merlot is
that of all the red varietals, it is the gentlest, and complements a broad
menu of meals. Reds like to breathe. Open the bottle and let it sit for
ten minutes or so. This allows oxygen to get at the wine and mature it
quickly. For that matter, pouring the wine into the glasses and allowing
it to sit for ten to twenty minutes accelerates this process. You'll
find the flavor is much enhanced by this approach. Reds at Room
Temperature and Whites Chilled. A simple rule that does not always apply
but is a good guide, nonetheless. Chilling a red removes many of the
subtleties of flavor for which you buy the wine in the first place and
slows the wine's ability to mature with exposure to oxygen. Keep them
room temperature. I mentioned earlier that many of the "rules" of wine
loving have been discarded, or at least loosened, such as 'red wine with
red meat or pasta and white wine with fish or poultry.' While these are
not bad guidelines, they really are not carved in stone and nowadays
waiters and even the seasoned gourmand will not turn up his/her nose at a
guest who asks for a red with fish or enjoys a nice, tart Chardonnay with
a burger. Merlot with what?
While a Merlot can be a perfect
complement for a spaghetti dinner (particularly if you have a nice buttery
garlic bread), it can easily sit beside a pork chop or fried chicken
dinner. A Merlot is a lovely, non-pretentious start to your journey and
should open the door nicely to a journey of wine loving. OK, Now What? Try
a few different brands of Merlot from competing vineyards. Note the
differences in style and substance. Once you feel like you've tasted a
number of Merlots and are acquainted with the differences, then move on to
a Cabernet Sauvignon and begin your journey anew. I'd hold off on
Shiraz, Syrah, Petite Syrah or Beaujolais until you have a basic
appreciation of Merlots and Cabernets, but once you do, then dive in to
the heavy, heady, peppery joy of the stronger reds. Once you feel like you
really understand and can note the differences of the red varietals, start
exploring the blends. Good
luck and enjoy!
About The Author: Jack Wells loves red wine, and you can join http://WineHappy.com
Social Network and add Jack Wells to your friend's list at http://www.winehappy.com
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For
Gary and I, holiday gift-giving always brings many new wine-related items
into our lives. Sometimes I can't believe how many gift items are
available, but I always love to receive them. This year, my son presented
me with wine bottle magnets and grape cluster earrings. My mother gave
both me and Gary a wine-themed fold-up lawn chair (so cool). I gave Gary
the Winerd game (looks like so much fun)...and Gary's sister purchased a
new wine rack for him. It holds 24 bottles, so he'll be buying much more
wine this year so he can keep it full - and still have some to drink. Last
but not least, everyone in my family became walking billboards for me with
their new WineryAdventures.com t-shirts. We had a wonderful holiday season
and I hope all of our readers enjoyed the same. Here's to a fantastic new
year of Winery Adventures! Cheers!
New Line
of Wine Charms