Buy Wine Bottles (And Know What You’re Doing), We Show You How

By Alexis Wolfer

If you’re anything like us at The Beauty Bean, you know when you like (or don’t like) a glass a wine, but when it’s time to head to the wine shop to stock up for a dinner party you’re as lost as your brother in the “feminine hygiene” department. (Well, maybe not quite as lost, but you know what we mean!) For many of us, we look at the price, judge the attractiveness and “maturity” of the label and pick blindly. Sometimes we’re lucky. Sometimes, not so much. Either way, we never seem to learn our lesson and, if you’re entertaining regularly, your friends are likely getting tired of the blind taste testing.

Whether you’re looking to stock a wine cellar that would make your boss jealous or just needing to pick up a few bottles for a small gathering at your home, Maria Gabriela Brito, the founder of LiFESTYLiNG, has you covered. So, before you head to the store to randomly select pretty bottles within your price range, take note of her tips.

A delicious couscous to serve at your next gathering!

Discover your personal preferences. Even if you don’t know anything about wine, you can often describe what you do and don’t like in a glass of wine, even if you don’t know the technical terms.  So, get tasting! Next time you order a glass at a bar, take notes. If you happen to know more about wine, get more specific, but, if not, just write down what you can. Do you prefer red or white? How about acidity, robustness, tanning, regions, etc? Really have no idea? (You’re not alone!) Sign up for a wine tasting to try multiple varieties at once.

Learn to know thyself. Do you prefer red or white? Do you tend to like wines from a particular region? Try buying three or four bottles from the same region (for example, Napa, Burgundy, Piedmont or Mendoza), stick to either red or white and then select from different wineries and from different vintages. Remember that you don’t need to spend a lot; there are amazing wine bottles for about $20, like a Riesling Potter Valley from Chateau Montelena. Keep notes about flavors, what you liked best and what to go for next. If your taste testing notes show a preference for a certain region or specific grape, stick with those varieties.

Dark chocolate’s health benefits make it a perfect pairing for wine!

Get help. Buying wine at wine-only retail shops is often the best way to start because they have the most knowledgeable staff.

Learn the basics. While there are few rules with regard to wine preference, (heck, someone likes it or it wouldn’t be produced!), when buying wine, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, inspect the cork.  If it’s popped or pushed out of the rim, don’t buy that bottle. However, if you find sediments in the bottom of a red wine bottle, that’s a healthy sign, but not for white wines which rarely throw a deposit. Also, regarding the vintages, keep in mind that there’s absolutely no uniformity of great years even in regions that may be contiguous.  For example, Bordeaux had amazing ’82, ’90 and ’00 vintages but ’82 and ’00 were not so good for the rest of Europe.

See the 10 healthiest foods here! (Hint: red wine is one of them!)