A Beginners' Guide To Enjoying Red Wine
Author: Jack Wells

The world of red wines is a heady, rich and wonderful world
filled with everything from the nuanced subtlety of a gentle
South African Merlot to the peppery richness of Sangre de Toro,
"Blood of the Bull" from Spain. In general, many of the "rules"
of wine drinking have been cast aside in today's world, making
it more accessible to every person, and with the increased
demand supply has soared, allowing for inexpensive and very
delicious wine available to all.

Still, there are many who feel that the world of wine loving is
not as yet open to them. With so many wines to choose among,
where do you begin? How do you properly enjoy a red or white and
with what meals would they be best?

Let's look at some very basic tips to maximizing your
exploration of red wines.

Don't spend a ton of money on a bottle of wine. Leave that for
later, once you've begun to explore beyond the brands and
varietals that you like. There are so many wonderful and
delicious wines that are available for somewhere between $5 and
$8 a bottle, that you really should not need to drop $20 or $30
for a bottle of wine...at least not yet.

Don't buy local, yet. Often, your local wine store is stocked
with bottles from the local vineyard (if there is one). These
can be wonderful, or they can be vinegar. It really can be
something of a crap shoot. So, unless you live in the Napa
valley, or some other area that is renown for its wine-making
efforts, stick with something that is nationally or
internationally distributed.

Stick with a varietal, for now. In other words, pick a wine
that is primarily made from one type of grape, i.e. a Shiraz,
Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc. Try to avoid blended
reds to begin with, though they can be quite delicious. By
learning the flavors of the varietal grapes, you'll better
understand what it is about the blend that you like. Avoid
flavored wines or coolers that you can get at your local
convenience store. These are little more than non-bubbly soda
pop with alcohol in them and can lead to a nasty headache as
they are hastily made from the least pure ingredients.

Start with a nice Merlot from South Africa, Australia, New
Zealand or Chile. These vineyards are usually able to balance
cost with quality quite nicely. The reason I recommend Merlot is
that of all the red varietals, it is the gentlest, and
complements a broad menu of meals.

Reds like to breathe. Open the bottle and let it sit for ten
minutes or so. This allows oxygen to get at the wine and mature
it quickly. For that matter, pouring the wine into the glasses
and allowing it to sit for ten to twenty minutes accelerates
this process. You'll find the flavor is much enhanced by this
approach.

Reds at Room Temperature and Whites Chilled. A simple rule that
does not always apply but is a good guide, nonetheless. Chilling
a red removes many of the subtleties of flavor for which you buy
the wine in the first place and slows the wine's ability to
mature with exposure to oxygen. Keep them room temperature.

I mentioned earlier that many of the "rules" of wine loving
have been discarded, or at least loosened, such as `red wine
with red meat or pasta and white wine with fish or poultry.'
While these are not bad guidelines, they really are not carved
in stone and nowadays waiters and even the seasoned gourmand
will not turn up his/her nose at a guest who asks for a red with
fish or enjoys a nice, tart Chardonnay with a burger.

Merlot with what? While a Merlot can be a perfect complement
for a spaghetti dinner (particularly if you have a nice buttery
garlic bread), it can easily sit beside a pork chop or fried
chicken dinner. A Merlot is a lovely, non-pretentious start to
your journey and should open the door nicely to a journey of
wine loving.

OK, Now What? Try a few different brands of Merlot from
competing vineyards. Note the differences in style and
substance. I'd recommend sticking to those south of the equator
to begin with. Once you feel like you've tasted a number of
Merlots and are acquainted with the differences, then move on to
a Cabernet Sauvignon and begin your journey anew. I'd hold off
on Shiraz, Syrah, Petite Syrah or Beaujolais until you have a
basic appreciation of Merlots and Cabernets, but once you do,
then dive in to the heavy, heady, peppery joy of the stronger
reds. Once you feel like you really understand and can note the
differences of the red varietals, start exploring the blends or
the truly excellent California varietals. Good luck and enjoy!


About The Author: Jack Wells loves red wine, and you can join
http://WineHappy.com Social Network and add Jack Wells to your
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