The Beauty of Red Wine - A Beginner's Guide

The hit comedy film Sideways is about a road trip in the wine country of sunny California where the two main characters, Miles and Jack, taste copious amounts of red wine while dealing with major life dramas. It's a hilarious film that touched so many people with its dark comedy and truly moving portraits of people dealing with love, pain, and wine-tasting.

But perhaps the greatest thing about Sideways was how it inspired so many people to go out and become connoisseurs of fine wine! According to the Internet Movie Database, the movie made so many of its fans want to buy Pinot Noir (a dry red wine) that sales significantly increased in the US and UK during and after its release. Talk about the effect of movies on people!

If you want to learn a bit more about red wine, dry red wine, and its other variants but feel clueless as to the whole thing, here's a quick wine guide; a red-wine-for-dummy guide if you like!

Why is Red Wine... Er... Red?

Red wine is so colored because of the grape skins involved. There are a multitude of grape types, each as diverse and colorful as the next. You have purple, maroon, deep red, light red--the list goes on. Each variety brings a unique shade of red to red wine and the various colors you can see in wine stores are a direct result of the many grapes used in worldwide wine-making processes. An individual wine's color depends largely on what type of grape was used to make it and how long the skin was left in with the juice before being extracted.

What Are The Different Types of Red Wine?

There are many different types of red wine but they are usually judged by their "body." For example, a light-bodied wine is not too demanding on the mouth and taste buds. It goes well with food that is flavor intensive. A good example of this kind of wine is the French red wine Beaujolais Nouveau.

On the other hand, there is the medium-bodied red wine which is a slightly heavier wine (e.g. Shiraz, Merlot, etc.) but not as heavy and as powerful as a full-bodied wine like French Bordeaux wines and Italian red wine like the Super Tuscans. Full-bodied wines are denser and have a higher alcohol content.

How Is Red Wine Served?

You may have noticed at some parties, tasting events, or formal gatherings that red wine is served in a particular glass. It is said that an oval or egg-shaped glass that narrows as it reaches the top (compared to a slim, tall glass) is the best way to appreciate red wine as it allows the wine to breathe and swirl better. The best temperature to serve red wine is 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve it too hot and the alcohol can be overly emphasized; too cold and it will taste bitter.

Red Wine--What Are The Different Varieties?

There are a number of red wines available from all over the world from dry red wine to full-bodied wine to age-old wine. There is really no such thing as the best red wine--what is tastiest to you should be considered the best. But then there are many red wines that come highly recommended like Californian red wine, Australian red wine, and then of course, every other kind of wine throughout Europe, like Spanish red wine and the ones previously mentioned. In time, you will be able to determine exactly what your type of red wine is. For now, why not sample the many great tasting wines out there like Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc... ?

How Healthy IS Red Wine?

Red wine 101 these days will tell you that red wine or dry red wine is actually good for you. There have been recent studies by scientists in the UK that suggest a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon-derived wines will do the heart very good.

So, if you're looking to spice up your meals or simply want to develop a healthier diet, red wine or dry red wine may be just the thing for you. Hopefully, this has been enough information to whet your appetite. Happy wine drinking!

Choosing Wine - The 3 Best Tips To Choosing The Perfect Wine

Wine is a pretty magical beverage. There is just something really fascinating about every aspect of it. The different grapes from different parts of the world, the blending of fruits, nuts, and other flavors, the aging, the ceremony of consuming.

"Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy." --Benjamin Franklin

So how do you find the perfect wine? It is very intimidating to buy wine at first. It almost feels like you are exposing your lack of refinement if you don't ask the right questions at the wine store. I wanted to alleviate this possibility with the most powerful of tools, information. After all, it is not to be expected that we all know everything about all things. The trick is knowing where to look.

Tip #1 - Wine - Food Pairing Chart

This tip is helpful for any wine buyer. It depends on the situation, of course, but usually wine is purchased to accompany some type of food. Whether you want to find the wine to serve with salmon or you just need something to accompany your cheese. My suggestion is really pretty simple. Enter "wine food pairing chart" into a Google search, when the results come up-click on the images tab at the top of the screen. There are more here than you will ever need. These charts vary slightly because they are created with the bias and taste of the creator. There is no right or wrong here, these will just put you in the ball park as they are all basically the same.

Tip #2 - Attend A Local Wine Tasting

Local wineries and even wine stores will host wine tastings with some regularity. A simple internet search for wine tasting in your town or inquiring at your local wine store should help you find one. These are great because they are truly geared toward the novice. I have been to a number of these and the people are usually quiet at first but as more wine is sampled, more questions start coming out. Pretty soon everyone is asking questions and no one feels uncomfortable. The hosts are (or should be) very friendly and helpful. They want you to buy stuff, ultimately, so they want you to feel comfortable and have fun. Believe me, you will have fun. Nothing sounded stuffier to me than a wine tasting a few years ago, now it's like an excuse to go out and be silly and have great conversation with strangers. Throughout the samplings, you will figure out what you like and don't like. They have all types of whites, blushes, and reds. They have dry wines and really sweet wines. This tip is especially helpful for the first customer type that I illustrated above but everyone benefits from this education.

Tip #3 - Store Your Wine Smartly

There are some wines that are designed to be consumed fresh and some that are designed to be stored. Not all wines improve with age. (This tip is for customer type 3 in case you hadn't figured that out yet) Usually, someone that has decided to lay out the considerable dollars involved in a wine cellar could teach me quite a bit about wine. However, if you just have piles of money but no wine knowledge, I would ask your local wine store owners or sign up to some wine cellar blogs or forums to get advice. Find out the best wines for your taste to age and then purchase wine racks. There is a science to aging wine and the angle of the bottle in storage is important to keep the wine from evaporating or the cork drying out.

There you go. Not "everything you ever wanted to know about wine but were afraid to ask" but it should get you started and most importantly get you started comfortably. With anything, the hardest part is getting started. Good luck, and happy wine buying!

Best Red Wine for Beginners

 Just as with white wines, you want to start out with simple reds. Then, as your wine palate develops, move on to the complex, full-bodied reds. Here are a few suggestions for a jumping off point:

1.Pinot Noir: Light to medium bodied and super food friendly, it's so easy to fall in love with a Pinot Noir even if you don't fancy yourself a red wine enthusiast. Need some suggestions? Try Lindeman's Bin 99, Devil's Corner from Tamar Ridge or McMurray Ranch Pinot Noir.

2. Syrah: Syrah and its Australian sibling, Shiraz, are one and the same. Australian Shirazs tend to be a bit on the peppery side while Syrahs tend to be a bit more fruity. For Shiraz, pick up a bottle of Penfold's or d'Arenberg. As for the Syrah's, try a bottle of Qupe Central Coast or Eaglepoint Ranch.

3.Beaujolais Nouveau: This French wine is meant to be drunk young. It releases in November of every year and usually sells out before Christmas. The wine is fruity and light, without heavy tannins, making it a favorite for new wine drinkers.

Simple Wine Drinking Tips for a Better Wine Experience

1. Let your wine sit.

After pouring wine into your glass, let it sit in your glass for at least 1 to 2 minutes before drinking it, or until you see most of the little bubbles disappear.

The bubbles you see in the wine is CO2, which is a byproduct of the fermentation process. CO2 may also be added to wines by the winery, because it acts as a preservative. In its liquid form CO2 is called Carbonic Acid. When you pour wine into your glass you will see lots of little bubbles which is the CO2 (carbonic acid) escaping the wine. Carbonic acid has a very harsh taste, so waiting a couple of minutes after the wine is poured, will give you a smoother tasting wine experience. In fact this is what aeration does, it strips the CO2 our of the wine.

2. Coat your wine glass.

As wines today are becoming higher in alcoholic percentage compared to wines in the past, it is critical to downplay the perception of alcohol in maximizing the enjoyment of wine. Alcohol does in fact impede us from enjoying all of a wines flavors. Wine experts tell us to swirl your wine to release the aromas.Unfortunately, the major aroma that will be released first comes from the alcohol. The alcohol produces a medicinal taste that can be perceived quite easily and affects other aromas.

I would suggest instead of swirling your wine, coat your glass with the wine by gently holding the glass as horizontally as possible, while rotating it in your hand. The more you coat the glass with the wine, the more intense the wine drinking experience..

3. Serve your wine at colder temperatures.

Instead of serving or storing red wine at 62 degrees or higher as most experts recommend, I recommend storing and serving it at 55 degrees. Lowering the temperature to 55 degrees reduces the perception of alcohol. The wine will slowly warm up in the glass to 62 degrees,and avoid getting to temperatures in the mid to high 60's that promotes the perception of alcohol. Keeping your wine in your fridge at 55 degrees also helps with reducing oxidation better than any contraption on the market.

4. Use a large and deep wine glass.

Pouring 5oz of wine in a large 30oz glass vs a small glass typically 12oz to 15oz, will provide a more powerful tasting experience. In the 30 oz glass there is 25oz of capacity free for the aroma to occupy, while in the 12oz there would be only 7oz of capacity free for the aroma to occupy. The aroma in the smaller glass is escaping simply because there inst enough free capacity to contain it.

5. Approach.

The approach to wine can be just as important for its enjoyment, as the wine itself. We can be convinced that a wine is good simply by giving it importance. Think of a nice juicy fillet mignon that you are being served on a paper plate with plastic utensils. Your mind downplays the expected taste experience because it relates the fillet mignon to the cheap, low end place setting. That same fillet mignon served in a high end restaurant on fancy dinnerware, will taste better simply because your conditioned to equate a high end restaurant with great tasting food. Stemware does the same for wine. When you pour wine into a beautiful over sized crystal glass, your mind relates the wine's significance to the beautiful wine appropriate glass The same wine served in a typical 10 to 12oz clunker downplays the expectation regarding the wine's taste.

4 Tips to Taste Wine Like a Pro

1. Stay Hydrated

Super simple to do – just drink water more often than you normally do. Your nose has lots of tiny aroma receptors in mucous membranes and they can shrink up when you’re all dried out. Also, you lose saliva when you drink/spit wine so remember: a moist a tongue is a happy tongue!

2. Smell Everything

Smelling and ‘filing’ scents is important so you can recall them when you are tasting a wine. Smell your fresh blackberries, get your face right in there when you’re baking, and go nuts at a farmer’s market.

3. Practice Thinking

The trick to this one is to just ask yourself questions and not try to over analyse. Instead of searching your brain for the EXACT aroma or taste you’re experiencing, just ask yourself simple questions to guide yourself there. For example, we know that the wine is fruity and it smells like there is a sweetness to it, and it sort of just smells purple. Is it a berry, cherry, or plum smell that’s purple? It’s really hard to come up with the bulls-eye on your own so asking questions is easier and gets you to practice thinking.

4. Count The 5 Basic Traits On Your Hand

Sweetness, Acidity, Tannin, Alcohol, Body. Sweetness is easy to identify because we’ve all had sweet things in our mouth before – we hope so anyway. Acidity can be tricky but this is just measured by your mouth watering after you take a sip. Suck on a lemon and pay attention to what your mouth does. That’s acidity. Practice Acidity with Sauvignon Blanc. Tannin is the dry feeling around the roof of your mouth and your gums. Think of black tea. Alcohol will make the wine feel weighty in your mouth, and have a slight heat or burn. Body goes in tandem with alcohol and tannin levels and is more a ‘feeling’. Imagine drinking whipping cream vs. skim milk.