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Two Steps to Better Wine Education
Wine education does not have to be difficult. Wine is something that many people enjoy. As long as you enjoy what you are doing, you can have a lot of leeway. It should not be intimidating to order a bottle of wine when you go out to eat. There are lots of fun ways to learn enough about wine to gain confidence in yourself and your choices.
It is not surprising that many people feel they know very little about wine. With so many different wine varietals and even more types of grapes, it is easy to make anyone's head spin. When you consider that many of us feel that those around us will make judgments if we do or say anything wrong, it makes it even more intimidating. Wine is meant to be something to be enjoyed, not something to cause anxiety.
Step One
Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to improve your wine education. First, taste some different wines. You do not have to do this all at once. Just open a bottle. Taste it. If you like it, that is good. If you do not, you have already learned that you probably do not want to buy that type of wine again. Assuming you did like the wine you just tasted, take a look at the color. Is it appealing? Is it clear? What does it smell like? What flavors do you taste? Look at that, you just learned how to describe a wine.
You can take this to yet another level and describe the color, aroma, and flavor even more succinctly by breaking it down into components. Most wines taste like more than just grapes. Every wine is affected by all the plants that grow in its immediate region. Some taste more of fruit like apples, black cherries, or raspberries, while others have greener flavors like green pepper or asparagus. Now, does that sip of wine enhance the flavor of the food you are eating? If it does, it pairs nicely with it. If it does not, you may not want to pair that wine with that recipe again.
Step Two
You can do this much all by yourself or with your friends. No judgments. You may actually think it was kind of fun. If you want to take it to the next level, go to a wine shop or a wine bar. Wine shops often have tasting nights, when local wineries present some of their offerings for free. Go to a wine tasting and compare your own thoughts to those around you. Listen to what they say. You do not have to say a word if you do not want to. Just listen and see if you thought the same thing or something different. Thinking something different than the guy next to you is just fine. What you are learning is how to discern your own taste, not his.
Keep at it. The more you do this, the more you will find wines that you like and wines that you do not. You do not have to like every wine; no one does. Write down the names of those you do enjoy. It is okay to refer to your own list when you are out at a fine restaurant and want to order a bottle of wine.
