A Gentle Introduction

To The World Of Wine

When I first began my journey through the wine world, I was a complete novice. However, if I was going to stay in the business, I was going to have to learn about wine. For most of us, learning anything new can be terribly intimidating. The continuing image of wine snobbery puts learning about wine right up there with programming your VCR and doing your own taxes. But if I could learn about wine, you can too!  So today, Uncle Steve is here to gently guide you into the world of wine.

Learning about wine is basically learning about different tastes. You like chocolate ice cream but not pistachio? Let’s transfer this idea to wine. Basically, you have red wine, white wine, and rosé. Some are sweet and some are not. Wines that are not sweet are dry. If you can decide that you like a certain color and either dry or sweet, you are well on your way to knowing about wine.

What is a good wine? A good wine is a wine that you like. Ignore prices, names, grapes, and countries and focus in on taste. Now here is the  “tough” part. Once you have tasted a wine that you like, remember what it is. If you have consumed a bottle of wine, remembering the name can be a little tough. But folks this is important! Write the name on a cocktail napkin, bring home the cork or maybe even the empty bottle. Once you have an idea of what wine you like, you are home free.

It is all down hill from here. Talk to knowledgeable wine people to expand your wine horizons. It can be a friend, a waiter, or a friendly wine shop employee. Once you start with some basic wine information, you will never run out of new wines to taste and enjoy. You will also start remembering your favorite wines. If you are just starting to learn about wine, I would recommend Blackstone Merlot and Lindemans Chardonnay as good wines to start with.

I have tried to make your entry into the wine world as basic as possible. Do not be intimidated by those who try to impress you with all of their knowledge. Remember that wine is a beverage to drink and enjoy. If you want to learn more you can, but in the meantime, pull the cork, take a sip, relax, and have fun!

(Steve Small, one of the friendliest and knowledgeable wine people around, is the former owner of Steve’s Liquor Store.)