Tasting, Buying and Storing Wine
If you’ve ever been at a restaurant and felt like a phony when tasting wine, this guide can help. Learn how to select the right bottle, where to order the accessories you need to start a wine collection and get up to speed on proper wine storage techniques. In short, you’ll find everything you need for tasting, buying and storing wine like a pro.
Expand All Guide SectionsWine Tasting
There’s a science to wine tasting: In order to get the full flavor of a vintage, the wine has to be stored, poured, sniffed and sipped properly. These sites help you make the most of your bottle.
Insights for Wine Tasting
- The tradition of chilling white wine and serving red wine at room temperature is relatively new. In fact, some sommeliers argue that white wine is often served too cold and that red wine should be served slightly cooled.
- The flavor of the food you’re eating can alter how wine tastes. When tasting wine, be sure you haven’t eaten anything acidic or smoked, and don’t brush your teeth immediately beforehand.
Top Sites for Wine Tasting
To learn how to taste wine…
Wine Library TV
hosts a video clip of a wine tasting by Gary Vaynerchuk. The tutorial walks you through the steps in observing, smelling and finally sipping a wine.
JancisRobinson.com
has a glossary of wine terms that shows you what to look for when tasting wine. The “Wine & you” section links to articles on wine basics such as tasting wine.
For serving wine with food…
E. & J. Gallo Winery
has a chart to help you pair wine with food. Select from a number of entrée options and seasonings to find wines that are typically paired with the dish you plan to make.
WineAnswers.com
has a simple tool called “Wine+Food Pairing” that makes suggestions based on the wine, food or flavoring you’d like to serve. Check out the “Perfect Pairings” section for meal suggestions and links to recipes.
Food & Wine
has an advanced search feature to help you find a great bottle of wine. Select by keyword, region, price, type and varietal, or specify “EZ” for easy-to-find wines only. Visit the site’s “Tasting Room” for professional wine reviews.
Wine Reviews
Before you invest in wines to try, it’s a good idea to know what you’re looking for. Reading wine reviews and tasting notes can help you figure out what your next bottle should be.
Insights for Wine Reviews
- Your personal taste is the most important element in judging and selecting wines. Don’t feel as though unconventional food and wine pairings are inappropriate or should be avoided.
- As you read various descriptions of wine, you may come across terms you’re not familiar with. For a basic list of wine vocabulary, visit WineAnswers.com’s glossary of wine terminology.
Top Sites for Wine Reviews
For the standards of assessing wine…
eRobertParker.com
presents “The Wine Advocate Rating System,” a widely recognized form of judging wines. Based on a scale from 50–100, The Wine Advocate uses the point rating system to complement its more comprehensive tasting notes.
For professional wine reviewing sites…
Wine&Spirits Magazine
offers free information to nonsubscribers under “critics’ picks.” Subscribers have access to a thorough wine search, shopping guide and restaurant poll; a one-year subscription costs about $30.
Wineography
has a wealth of wine reviews arranged by country. Vineyards in each region are listed along with the bottles they produce. Visit the wine forums to read user opinions.
For interactive wine review sites...
Cork’d
allows users to rate and review wines, and share their opinions. Recommend bottles you like to your “buddies” on the site, or keep track of the wines in your cellar.
Buying Wine Online
Use the sites below for buying wine online. Choose wines from around the world, including organic and kosher varieties. You’ll even discover where to buy the best wine accessories.
Insights for Buying Wine Online
- Look for wine labeled “Estate Bottled” (bottled where the grapes were grown). Wineries that grow their own grapes oversee the fermentation and bottling process, and have the best idea of how to utilize the grapes.
- If you're buying a French or Italian wine, look for the AOC or DOC labels, respectively. These tags are located on the neck of each bottle and certify that the wine has passed a nationally regulated standard.
- State laws differ when it comes to shipping alcohol so some restrictions on shippable addresses may apply.
- If you’re interested in purchasing high-end wines, the “Buying and Selling Fine Wine” section of the findingDulcinea Wine Collecting Web Guide can help.
Top Sites for Buying Wine Online
For buying wine online…
Wine.com
ships wine to states where it is legally acceptable. If your state accepts liquor deliveries, you can browse wine by price, type, region or rating.
The Wine Web
lets you search more than 170,000 wines and connects you to the wine merchant or winery that sells the wine. Don't miss the user reviews, which provide firsthand insight into different vineyards, vintages and individual bottles.
For buying affordable wine online …
Good Wine Under $20
is a blog about affordable wines with thoughtful articles and links for buying wine online. Scroll down the left side to find the “Useful Wine Links” section, full of worthwhile external sources.
For buying organic wine online …
The Organic Wine Company
sells organic wine online. Join the “Wine Club” to get organic wine delivered to your home each month. Check out “Outstanding Wines” to see the site’s preferred bottles.
For buying kosher wine online …
KosherWine.com
allows you to search its large catalog of kosher wines according to price, color, varietal, region, producer and mevushal status. The site has customer reviews and a wine club option.
To buy wine tools and accessories…
Wine Enthusiast
sells a huge variety of wine tools and accessories. Visit “Gifts” for popular products arranged by price range, or “Sale” to see the impressive list of bargain items.
Wine Storage
Get wine storage advice on how and where to place your wine when you’re not drinking it. You’ll also get tips on how to keep a bottle once it’s open.
Insights for Wine Storage
- Certain wines mature well and taste better with age. If you’re buying wine to store, research the vintage and find out when the wine will be most ripe for drinking.
- Never store your wine in the sun, and never buy wine that has been stored in the sun, either.
- See “Maintaining a Wine Cellar” in findingDulcinea’s Web Guide to Wine Collecting for tips on building and organizing your cellar.
Top Sites for Wine Storage
Fine Living
explains the process of wine storage before and after a bottle has been opened. Get advice on when to open a bottle of wine and how to age it to your taste.
Italian Cooking & Living
outlines specific elements of wine storage, including how to stack wine and appropriate storing temperatures for different types of wine.
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