Learn2 Choose Wine

Ah, Sweet Nectar Of Zeus!

There are, at last count, 20 zillion books about wine. That's because there's a whole bunch of wine in this world and a lot of ground to cover.

If you would like to become extremely knowledgeable on the subject, you should spend a good deal of time reading some of those books and tasting a variety of wines. (Life's tough, folks).

If, however, you would simply like to have a reasonable shot at finding a good or perhaps an appropriate wine, take a few minutes here to learn the basics.

Before You Begin:

For our purposes, wine comes in three basic forms: red, white and sparkling.

Sparkling wine, when it comes from a particular region of France, is called Champagne. There are also "blush" or "rose" wines that are rarely taken seriously by educated winos, but which can be very pleasant on a summer afternoon.

Certain types of wine are associated with particular types of meals. Red wine is considered appropriate with red meat and hearty pasta dishes, white wine with fish and many chicken dishes. These are not hard and fast rules, and the real intent here is to serve lighter wine with lighter food and hearty wine with hearty food.

Time:

At least 1/2 hour in the wine shop, more if you like to browse.

What You'll Need:

• A local wine store that carries something besides jug wines.
  
• A corkpull.
  
• (optional) A notebook is helpful for remembering your preferences. Keep it next to your wines!

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