Considerations in Choosing Wine
Occasion
There is a wine for every occasion. It lets you send a personalized message and adds a lovely touch of elegance to any occasion. No matter if it’s a dinner with friends, family holiday or birthday party, wine makes a perfect gift and a companion to any occasion. Picking the right wine however can be a challenge. Please talk to WINEHOURS's SOMM for recommendation.
Budget
There is a wine for every budget. There are times when you want to treat yourself to an iconic bottle of wine at high price, but most of the time you are looking for a great bottle at the sweet spot which is around $30-50 a bottle. WINEHOURS's SOMM will provide you the best choice at for your budget.
Personal Preferences
There is a wine for every budget. There are times when you want to treat yourself to an iconic bottle of wine at high price, but most of the time you are looking for a great bottle at the sweet spot which is around $30-50 a bottle. WINEHOURS's SOMM will provide you the best choice for your budget.
Remember your personal preference is the key to your wine enjoyment. If you are inviting friends or business partners for wine, try to find out what they like to drink to perfectly match your wine choice to their preference.
Take a look at the presentation below to explore the various aspects of wine taste that you may have a preference for.
ACIDITY
Acidity is important for a wine because it gives wines a refreshing characteristic. Acidity in wine comes directly from the juice of the grapes and some grape varieties are more acidic than others. You can recognize how much acidity is in the wine by the amount the wine makes your mouth water after swallowing.
Too much acidity can make a wine taste unpleasantly acidic or sour and some people are more sensitive than others to this effect. Others may find that effect pleasant and seek out wines that offer that vibrant quality. If there is too little acidity, a wine loses its refreshing characteristic. This characteristic is very important for wines, especially sweeter styles. Acidity balances out the sweetness and reinvigorates your palate from the effect of the sugar, similar to how sugar balances the sourness of the lemon juice in lemonade.
Why do some wines taste more dry (less sweet) than others?
Sweetness is defined by the level of residual sugar (sugar left in the wine after the fermentation process), however some wines will taste dryer than others due to different structural components such as acidity, tannins, and aroma.
A wine's fruity & aromatic flavors often can make us feel that a wine is sweeter than it is. This is because your brain expects to taste sugar when you eat fruits.
If you love sweet wines but want to explore drier options, consider finding a wine that has a lot of fruit intensity and aromas, but little residual sugar, such as a Gewurztraminer from Alsace or NY, Semi Dry Riesling New York, and California
TANNINS
Tannins make your mouth to feel dry, similar to the feeling of having cotton balls in your mouth.
Tannin comes from the skins of the grapes and is typical of red wines. The level of tannin in a wine depends on the grape variety, method of production and climatic conditions in the region. Other foods that have tannins in them are black tea and walnuts.
Tannins can taste bitter, but mostly they are a structural characteristic of a wine that you feel rather than taste.
Different people have different sensitivity to tannins. Studies confirm that the amount of protein in saliva determines our sensitivity. Try Cabernet Sauvignon with pinch of salt and watch the tannins become smooth and silky.
ALCOHOL
The majority of still and sparkling wines have medium alcohol levelbetween 11% and 13.9% abv. However, some wines can reach as high as 15-16% abv without fortification, e.g. Amarone della Valpolicella. Others can be as low as 8% abv, e.g. many naturally sweet wines.
The majority of still and sparkling wines have medium alcohol levelbetween 11% and 13.9% abv. However, some wines can reach as high as 15-16% abv without fortification, e.g. Amarone della Valpolicella. Others can be as low as 8% abv, e.g. many naturally sweet wines.
Source: Napa Valley Wine Academy choose wine like Pro
FLAVORS
Intensity of aromas and flavors can be affected by several factors:
GRAPE VARIETY Grape can be aromatic or non-aromatic. If you prefer floral notes, you may prefer to choose aromatic grape varieties.
CLIMATE If grapes are grown in warmer climatic conditions, they tend to be riper and more flavorful giving higher intensity of flavors to wine. If you prefer very fruity wines, try wines made in warmer regions.
HARVEST If grapes are picked early, they may not have time to fully develop aromas , wine then can have "green" aromas of green bell pepper or tomato leaves or simply have more of unripe flavors. Grapes that are left on the vine later will typically develop sweeter, fruitier aromas.
OAK Wine can be fermented and/or matured in oak gives wine flavors such as vanilla, cedar, cloves and coconut.
Source: Napa Valley Wine Academy choose wine like Pro
Sparkling Wines By Preference
Choosing a Sparkling Wine By Preference
SWEETNESS
Sweetness is one of the most important factors in choosing sparkling wines. You will find an indication of sweetness on the bottle. Most sparkling wines will indicate Brut (dry) on the label however in many countries Brut Nature (an even dryer style) are very popular. Prosecco Extra Dry will contain a small amount of residual sugar.
See the chart to the right for a list of sweetness levels you’ll see on labels.
|
BRUT NATURE - bone dry BRUT or EXTRA BRUT – dry EXTRA DRY – off dry DRY – off dry DEMI SEC – sweet
SWEET – very sweet |
ACIDITY
Medium Acidity
If you're looking for a sparkling wine with less acidity, Cava tends to have medium acidity.
High Acidity
If you're looking for a sparkling wine with less acidity, Cava tends to have medium acidity.
If you like ................... then ........................
Source: Napa Valley Wine Academy choose wine like Pro
BODY
Lighter Body
If you like lighter body wines, choose those that are fruity and floral like:
Prosecco
Many German Sekts
Fuller Body
If you enjoy more structure, choose traditional method wines that were aged on the lees of an extended period of time such as:
Champagne
ALCOHOL
Low Alcohol
If you prefer lower alcohol 5.5-8% choose Italian Moscato d'Asti or Lambrusco?
Medium Alcohol
If you prefer lower alcohol 5.5-8% choose Italian Moscato d'Asti or Lambrusco?
TRY…
If you like Prosecco try German Sekts, California sparkling wine or local sparkling wines from the country you are visiting.
Source: Napa Valley Wine Academy choose wine like Pro
FEELING ADVENTUROUS?
Feeling adventurous? Try Australian Sparkling Shiraz or Lambrusco from Italy. These are sparkling red wines. Or try Blanquet de Limoux – it is France’s oldest sparkling wine.
Add sparkling wines to cocktails. Sparkling wine adds textural components to the cocktail by addition of carbonation. They are often used in classic cocktails like French 75, Bellini, Kir or Mimosa.
TIP – don’t spend to much on the wine you are going to use in the cocktail, Sekt or Prosecco will be a great fit.
Sparkling Wines By Occassion
SPECIAL OCCASSIONS
When celebrating a birthday, graduation or any special moment in your life it is great to treat yourself to a bottle of champagne.
You may want to choose a vintage Champagne which is made in years with perfect weather conditions allowing for high quality grapes and long ageing potential. Look for the YEAR on the front label for these wines. They will be more expensive but well worth your money.
Looking for a gift? Sparkling wine will make great casual gifts while Champagne will be proper for any occasion.
Source: Napa Valley Wine Academy choose wine like Pro
Enjoy Bubbles Anytime!
Sparkling wines are often associated with a special occasion. But do they have to be? The answer is No.
Drink what you like and when you like it. Sparkling wines can be great for any occasion and enjoyed year-round. It can be a good idea to have a chilled sparkling wine bottle in your fridge ata any time. You never know when your friends will pop in. If you are looking for a great conversation starter or an afternoon glass of wine, choose a casual, fun bubbly such as
Sparkling wine from California, USA
Sparkling Wines with Dinner
Depending on the style, sparkling wines can be served throughout an entire meal.
Start dinner with a Dr Frank Konstantin Sparkling Wine. These sparkling wines are light and vibrant, so will make a great apéritif.
Enjoy your entrée with a more weighty glass of bubbles such as a Champagne or semi-dry New York sparkling Riesling.
End the meal with a sweet Moscato d'Asti. The sweetness of this fruity wine will pair nicely with many desserts.
Sparkling Wines By Budget
Choosing a Sparkling Wine By Budget
There is a sparkling wine for any budget.
When celebrating go for the stars and choose Prestige Cuvée or Reserve champagne, especially vintage or traditional method sparkling wines made in cooler parts of California like Carneros often made by known Champagne houses. You may want to explore Blanc de Blanc Champagne made, with 100% Chardonnay.
Choosing a White Wine By Preference
ACIDITY
Acidity is a very important factor in the structure of white wines.
Low Acidity
If you like lower acidity go for:
Viognier
High Acidity
If you like high acidity white wines try:
Chablis
Sauvignon Blanc
BODY
Light Body
Light body choices will include:
- Soave
Medium Body
Medium-bodied wines have a little more weight and roundness and can include:
- Sauvignon blanc
High Body
Full body whites can include:
- Chenin Blanc
ALCOHOL
Low Alcohol
If you are looking for low alcohol white wines here are some ideas:
Semillon
Medium Alcohol
The majority of white wines will be medium alcohol.
Flavors
Some white grape varieties are aromatic & others are non-aromatic. If you prefer aromatic floral notes, you may prefer to choose aromatic grape varieties like Muscat or Gewürztraminer. Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc are non-aromatic grape varieties.
If grapes are grown in warmer climatic conditions, they tend to be riper and more flavorful giving higher intensity of flavors to wine. You may prefer wines reacher and fruiter wines that come from California or Chile than those coming from cooler climatic condition of Germany or Chablis giving more subtle aromas.
IF YOU LIKE… THEN TRY…
If you like buttery, oaky Chardonnay – try oaked DAOU Reserve Chardonnay, Rombauer Chardonnay
If you like Sauvignon Blanc – try USA Rombauer Sauvignon Blanc, J LOHR FLUME CROSSING SAUVIGNON BLANC,
If you like dry Riesling and enjoy higher acidity wines – try dry Dr Frank Konstantin Dry Riesling, and Dr Frank Konstantin Semi Dry Riesling
Choosing a White Wine By Occasion
White wines are growing in popularity with consumers and are often becoming exciting wines of choice.
White wines are great year-round however warmer climatic conditions and warmers month are obvious choice for serving juicy, chilled white wines.
When choosing white wine you don’t have to stick to the old outdated rule “white wine with fish”. You can serve white wines with variety of food even meat depending on the structure of wine.
For an evening with friends choose light body.
You can serve white wines throughout the entire meal. Choose different styles over the course of meal. Lighter style with appetizers eg. Austrian Grüner Veltliner or Sauvignon Blanc and choose fuller body wines even with some oak influence with your main course as famous white Carneros from Rombauer Chardonnay, white Burgundy from Puligny Montrachet. Finish your meal with exciting white sweet wine to accompany your fruity dessert.
Looking for a gift? Chardonnay being the most often sold white wine in the world will make great casual gift especially when comes from California or Australia, same Chardonnay can make an exquisite gift for wine lovers when you choose Grand Cru Chablis.
If you would like to impress or find a geeky gift for a wine lover look for indigenous grape varieties off the beaten path. Reach for French light body Muscadet Sèvre et Maine and bring a bag of oysters with it.
Holidays are great time to serve white wines. When choosing white wine for your Thanksgiving turkey pick fuller body wines and splurge on great white wines of the world making it a memorable occasion. Choose white Hermitage or white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. For Christmas Eve dinner an aromatic Condrieu made with the Viogner grape variety or a Riesling are a great choice.
Choosing a White Wine By Budget
If you think of white wine as basic, think twice. White wines can be magnificent and yet often undervalued. Historically it was white wines that were priced and cherished more then reds. This changed in the last century. Take an advantage of it.
If your budget is free and you are in for making memories, choose classics like rich, yet juicy white whites of Bordeaux, Pessac Leognan. Yes, they cost more but are a steal in comparison to red wines. You will pay higher prices for best white Burgundies as they are one of the most coveted wines: try Rombauer Chardonnay, DAOU Chardonnay, Corton-Charlemagne or Montrachet Grand Crus.
Rosé Wine By Preference
Provence (France) is famous for its dry pale color rosé wines. Rosé de Loire is another dry fruity style you may want to discover.
Loire valley also offers traditional rosé styles from the appellations of Cabernet d'Anjou (med-dry and highest quality) & rosé d'Anjou (slightly drier than Cabernet d'Anjou)
White Zinfandel (USA) - fruity, semi dry to semi sweet, offers a great value and is a fantastic jump start to enjoy rosé wines.
Feeling Adventurous?
Rosé sparkling wines are made around the world. You will find them in Champagne, California. They are a wonderful alternative to white sparkling wines.
Want to geek out? – Try Spanish oak-aged rosé from R. Lopez de Heredia or locally made rosés (you find them in most of the wine regions in the world
If you’re looking for something different than your regular light rosé, Napa Hogwash rose, Tavel in France’s Southern Rhône offers wines with deeper color and fuller body, that can often be aged longer than average rosé.
Choosing a Rosé Wine By Occasion
For many years, consumers though of rosé as a simple summer drink. The world has re-discovered rosés and winemakers are producing better than ever quality at reasonable prices.
They are served chilled and often imbibed young within 1-3 years from vintage (year on the label).
Rosé With Food
Rosé is a perfect middle ground. Ideal for meat and fish lovers as its versatility allows wine to be paired with both. You can get one bottle and make everyone happy. Look for Sancerre or Menetou Salon rosé made with the Pinot Noir grape variety, that will add special touch to your dinner experience and it will definitely surprise your friends.
Rosé is a perfect middle ground. Ideal for meat and fish lovers as its versatility allows wine to be paired with both. You can get one bottle and make everyone happy. Look for Sancerre or Menetou Salon rosé made with the Pinot Noir grape variety, that will add special touch to your dinner experience and it will definitely surprise your friends.
Rosé also makes a great alternative to lighter body red wines. Today there is larger than ever variety of rosé styles around the world so keep on searching the style you love. You can also drink lighter styles of rosé without food instead of afternoon cocktails.
Rosé can be a fun wine for picnics or at the beach especially when served in a can or from a pouch for convenient use. It also makes an ideal party or wedding reception wine.
There are however complex, high-quality rosé that can accompany a fine dining dinner or make the perfect gift for a wine lover. Go to Tavel, Provence or Napa for those.
Choosing Rosé Wine By Budget
Good Value Rosés
$
Rosé can make a great value wine in a price range of $5-15. You will find delicious and juicy examples in California, Portugal or France’s Loire Valley often with some residual sugar.
Mid-Priced Rosés
$$
Rosé can make a great value wine in a price range of $30-50. You will find delicious and juicy examples in California, France’s Loire Valley often with some residual sugar.
Premium-Priced Rosés
$$$
High quality and high-priced aged rosés can be found in Rioja or with the ability to age in Provence.
Don’t forget sparkling rosé. Vintage rosé champagne can be one of the most expensive and sought- after wines in the world, a delicious treat.
Choosing Red Wine By Preference
TANNINS
Low Tannins Wines
Valpolicella (Italy)
High Tannins Wines
- Bordeaux, especially left bank eg. Pauillac & Saint-Estéphe
- Barolo (Italy)
Aglianico (Italy)
ALCOHOL
Medium Alcohol
Most red wines will have medium alcohol (11%-13.9%)
High Alcohol
High alcohol wines can include:
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape from France
- Lodi Zinfandel (California, USA)
- Italian Amarone
ACIDITY
Acidity is a less noticeable factor in the red wines as tannins tends to take the stage. If you like juicy reds look for: Sangiovese (Chianti), Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nerello Mascalese.
BODY
Light Body
Light-bodied wines tend to be fruitier and more refreshing and are rarely oaky. Examples of these are:
Beaujolais
Cool climate Pinot Noir
Medium Body
Medium-bodied wines have a little more weight and roundness to them and may have a touch of oak influence. Examples of medium-bodied red wines include:
Chianti
Cotes du Rhone
Full Body
Full-bodied wines are rich and opulent and may have a greater degree of oak influence. Examples of these include:
California Zinfandel
OAK
Oak is present in many red wines and loved by consumers. There is a trend however of choosing wines with lesser oak influence, showcasing grape variety. Oaky wines are often chosen as a companion to food, particularly meats. They can also benefit from opening before service and decanting (allowing wines to aerate and open up).
No/Low Oak Influence
Non-oaked or low-oak wines are meant to be opened young and are becoming more popular due to their fresh, juicy character.
Gamay Noir (Beaujolais, France)
High Oak Influence
Wines with high influence of oak flavors include:
Many high-end Bordeaux wines
Choosing Red Wine By Occassion
Red wines tend to be the most popular wines to be sold around the world with an amazing array of styles to choose from.
Ageing/Cellaring Wine
When buying wines for ageing and cellaring you may choose high-end, high-quality wines from classic regions as Pauillac, Pomerol or Napa Valley’s Oakville. Other wines made to cellar that will make a great gift or enhance any occasion as birthday, anniversary or a business meeting can come from Oakville, Napa Valley.
A special occasion not only calls for a special red wine but also calls for special treatment. Some of the wine for long term cellaring should be decanted (poured into glass container) to aerate. Special red wine from an extraordinary vintage as Bordeaux’s 2005, 2010, 2015 (if you don’t remember simply keep in mind that every 5 years since 2000 there has been a great vintage) can be one of the most memorable wine moments in life.
Red Wine With Meals
Red wine is often a wine of the choice to accompany everyday meals thanks to its proven health benefits when consumed with food. Depending on the style they can be great companion to food, but lighter styles such as Dolcetto can be served on their own with great friends and fun conversation.
Season
Full body red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon are often chosen in cooler months and cooler climatic conditions while light body reds like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir are great to be served slightly chilled in warmer months.
Remember that all reds benefit from some bottle time however only few will last longer than a decade. When choosing a red wine make sure you take a look at the bottle unless is an early drinking wine like Beaujolais AC chose those that have two or more years of aging.
Choosing Red Wine By Budget
You can spend an infinite amount of money on red wine and with the right occasion it is a great thing to do. From iconic wines and classic wine regions as Bordeaux, Burgundy or Napa Valley to the rising stars there is a new wine that you can taste everyday.
It is easy to choose a very good and expensive red wine. The most fun however is choosing red wine with great price to quality ratio.
Discover second labels (meaning not their most famous wine) of very good producers from famous wine regions.
Here are some wines to look for:
Overture a second label of Opus One Pavillon Rouge (Château Margaux)
Sweetness
Sweetness level is one of the most important factors when it comes to Fortified wines. Ports are generally sweet while Sherry and Madeira can be dry to sweet.
If you prefer juicy, zesty fortified wines choose a Madeira.
ALCOHOL
Fino Sherry
- Oloroso Sherry
- Port
Flavors
Method of production and length of ageing define a style of fortified wines. When choosing Sherry: Fino will be a fresher and fruitier style than a nutty, toffee-like Oloroso. Amontillado is in between those two styles having some fresh fruit character as well as dried fruit and coffee notes.
Ruby port will be characterized by fresh fruit aromas while a Tawny, which is aged in larger oak barrels for an extended period of time, by caramel and walnuts. Madeira will be defined by cooked fruit aromas due to its maderization (heating) process.
Fortified Wines By Occasion
Fortified wines give finesse to any dinner party you are going to host and will make your restaurant experience unforgettable. Think of them like a cherry on top of the cake. These wines are also a good option when you are looking for a beverage with a higher alcohol (all fortified will be at least 15% abv) but aren’t in the mood for a cocktail. In case you are wanting that cocktail, fortified wines make popular base for cocktails, especially lighter styles of Sherry such as Fino and Manzanilla or white Port.
Fortified Wines as a Gift
If you want to give someone a very special gift look for Vintage Port or Madeira from their birth year. This makes an unforgettable gift.
If your child was just born check on vintages of Port. You can buy a case 2 years later when the wines are released and keep it as a gift to your child on his or her 21st birthday. That will be a memorable surprise!
Fortified Wines With Food
Basic styles of fortified wines such as ruby Port or some of the inexpensive sherries can be used with great success in cooking. They make a fantastic sauce base.
Fortified wines can make a great aperitif. Serve chilled Fino sherry with salty foods like olives, goat cheese or with fried sardines or vegetable as asparagus at the beginning of your party will surprise your guests.
Choose a fortified wine at the end of your meal with dessert or cheese plate. Stilton cheese and LBV Port make a perfect match. Tawny port pairs great with chocolate desserts. Sip on a zesty Bual Madeira on its own or have it with cheese. You can also end your meal just with a fortified wine! Many of the sweeter fortifieds such as Ports or Rutherglen Muscats can be dessert all on their own.
Fortified Wines By Budget
Sherry is one of the most underrated wines out there; it provides a lot of quality & enjoyment for its value! Fresh fino and manzanilla styles are delicious, juicy and at extremely fairly priced when some amontillado, palo cortado or oloroso are richer fuller body and and can be a steal when taking into account their age and production process.
Madeira makes one of the best value fortified wines and is a real treasure for those in the know. Due to its production process, it can be also the oldest wine you have ever tasted.
Vintage Port can be rare and pricy, and you must wait at least a decade for it to age well before you will want to open it. You can choose LBV Port instead which will express its vintage character, and it will be ready to drink when opened.
