While enjoying a party is easy, hosting one is a different story. From choosing the perfect venue to selecting the right collection of wines, organizing a small or big occasion is absolutely not one for the fainthearted. This is especially true when it comes to wine selection.
Choosing the right types of wines for your next celebration can seem daunting. Not only do you have to guess the tastes of your guests properly, but you also need to ensure that you have enough in stock to last the night. With that said, below are the best ways to find the right wine for your next occasion:
Consider The Occasion
Wines can serve various purposes, and different occasions may influence how you pick a wine. There are several things to consider when finding the right wine. For example, if youโre thinking about the best wine and food pairings, the golden rule is to choose white wines for lighter dishes like fish and chicken. On the contrary, red wines are best paired with heavier dishes like lamb and beef.
If you want to satisfy your family and friends, and pairing with food isnโt your main objective, consider choosing both red and white wines. Because wine preferences are subjective, having both can satisfy all sorts of palates. You may also opt for wines that fall closer to the middle spectrum on acidity and sweetness. More moderate or balanced flavors are likely to appeal to most guests.
If youโre mixing wine into a summer sangria or a cocktail, the wineโs subtle flavors arenโt essential. If youโre using wine in recipes, the flavors could blend into the meat or sauce and serve as an accent. Consider selecting a less costly wine when youโre cooking with it or mixing a cocktail.
Reflect On Some Flavors You Enjoy
Wine flavors are unique, and your taste can be an excellent indicator of which wine youโll love. For instance, if you have a sweet tooth, the odds are, youโll enjoy sweet wines. If you thrive on the coffeeโs sharpness, more acidic wines can be perfect for you. It could be that simple.
More often than not, apple juice lovers tend to enjoy sweet white wines, while grapefruit juice lovers like dry white wine. Black coffee drinkers prefer an Old World wine which comes from some of the places where winemaking started such as Spain, Italy, or France. If you like a latte, a New World wine from South Africa, United States, or Australia is best.
Never Let The Price Dictate Your Choice
If a bottle of white or a red wine is on sale, itโs likely due to the fact that itโs not in season, or itโs been in the inventory for a while. Such reasons donโt mean that the wine is of low quality and wonโt taste great if itโs a kind of wine you enjoy. Such discounts can be a good opportunity to find great deals on wine. So, when choosing a wine to buy, start with the characteristics and flavors you prefer, as well as the celebration. Then, make price as your secondary consideration.
Make Sure To Read The Label
Pretty fonts, a clever name, or eye-catching graphics can sway a person into buying a wine that might be the best choice, most particularly when options seem overwhelming. But, itโs important to read the label instead of just admiring it.
While all details may seem daunting, reading the label of wine bottles is simple when you know what youโre looking for even as you donโt have to know the precise definitions of every word on the label. First, search for the information listed on the label. The key is the more details you find, the better.
Know what youโre searching for on the label. Youโll find the winery name, the year the grapes were harvested, the variety of grapes, the percentage of alcohol content, the region where the grapes grew, and other descriptions of the wine.
If you understand the definitions of wineโs characteristics such as alcohol, body, tannin, acidity, and sweetness, you can easily decipher wine descriptions. Moreover, the wine description may list aromas or notes that would include familiar flavors such as chocolate, plum, apple, black cherry, or citrus. If you enjoy what you read, thereโs a great chance youโll enjoy the wine.
While the information on the wine labels is standard, it might not always be in the same place. A lot of prominent wineries may list the name center and front on the bottle. Some bottles may show the grapeโs variety in the center, with the vineyardโs name in a smaller text. The more youโre familiar with reading wine labels, the easier itโll be to find the information youโre searching for.
Never Stress Over The Wineโs Age
When it comes to wine, itโs a common perception that older is better. However, itโs not always the case. Only other wines taste better with age, and various wines are ideal after different aging periods. Aging wine properly depends on a lot of factors, including the place the wine is from and the amounts of acids, sugars, and tannins it contains.
Generally, aging is more essential for red wines compared with white wines, but any wine you buy at the store is ready to drink. In fact, most wines arenโt meant to be aged, and you must consume them within several years of purchasing them. Again, being mindful of the year on the bottle is applicable for the red wines. If you prefer red wines and youโre stuck between two different years, you might want to pick the older one for better taste.
Conclusion
Itโs not easy to find the best and right wine for your next celebration. But, it doesnโt mean that itโs impossible. With the variety of wines available in the market, thereโs always a perfect bottle of wine that will suit your taste and preferences and that of your guests as well. All you have to do is to shop around, learn more about the differences between wines and make sure you properly store your wine.
