My wife and I are new to wine. I have had very little in my life and she has had none at all. I am looking for suggestions on which kind/type would be a good starting place? Thanks in advace for the help!
I'd recommend a Reisling. It's the first serious varietal I tried, and it's a good introductory grape. It's easily approachable and usually fairly low in alcohol. It is my no means "simple" varietal, and can exhibit lots of different flavors and nuances. A great food wine as well.
PH
Posts: 9259 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003
I do not disagree with the Reisling suggestion, but, I have a supplemental idea. Get a Bogle Chardonnay (around $9 or $10). Open both the Reisling and the Chardonnay. Sample both. Keep the wine in your mouth for a bit before swallowing. Check out the profound difference between the two wines. Both white, but quite different.
Irwin
Unless you're the lead sled dog, the view never changes.
You might want to consider the intro course here which will come with three red and three white recommendations.
The best bet is to always see if you can find someway to taste the stuff before you buy it. Most smaller shops have regular tastings and if you have a winery nearby that can be a good place to learn as well.
I starting studying wines in university, then some friends and I started buying wines to compare and we decided to go for cabernet sauvignon from 3 countries to see the difference: Australia, Chile and U.S (California), trying to have pure varietal, and then, doing the same with other varities. I do not follow wine guides, I just drink what seems fine to my taste. A wine for me is something that makes you feel pleasant and sometimes what people recommend you is out of our reach. Go for wine you can afford and then, start going up, always trying to compare. Then you will realize that there are some wines very good at a good price.
Max from Chile wines@andeswines.com
quote:
Originally posted by FatCat409: My wife and I are new to wine. I have had very little in my life and she has had none at all. I am looking for suggestions on which kind/type would be a good starting place? Thanks in advace for the help!
FatCat
Andes Wines
Posts: 224 | Location: Chile | Registered: Jun 22, 2005
The ABC's of Wine Tasting on WS Online is a great place to start. My suggestion would to be trying different wines when dining. You can try many types of wine according to the menu. Go on the WS Online and look at food pairings and follow. This a good way to get a broad learning experience. As beginners I think learning while matching the wines with food will make it very enjoyable. Purple Smiles! cabsandzins
I know from discussing with friends that we have gone about this 'backwards', but I have always been a red wine drinker, and prefer big, bold, tannic monsters. When my wife wanted to get into drinking wine, I started her off at the top, with big Cabs and Shiraz, and starting her off with high quality wines. Now that is what she prefers and does not like the lighter wines or white wines, calling them all "too sweet". That is fine with me. So, I guess the answer to your question is more along the lines of what Grunhauser and Max said, don't limit yourself to any one wine/varietal to get acclimated, try everything and see what tastes good to you and then use that as the launching pad for more exploration. That is what has been the fun part of learning about wine to me, knowing what I like and then trying something new and either saying, "no way" or, "wow, something else to like."
Dale
Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved.
Medieval German Saying
Posts: 640 | Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI | Registered: Apr 07, 2006
1.There is most likely a wine store near you that offers tastings for a nominal fee. Go to different tastings and try to identify styles that you like.
2.Pick up a book that is an easy read that is geared more to casual drinkers than hard core oenophiles. Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine by Mark Oldman is an excellent book.
3.Buy a mixed case of both reds & whites. Try some whites that aren’t necessarily popular in the States such as Albarino, Gruner Veltliner, Alsatian Rielsling, or an unoaked chardonnay. For reds try a Cab such as de Lyeth, a Guigal CdR, Alamos Malbec, and Vina Alarba Old Vines Grenache. Also, pick up an Oz Shiraz and a CA Syrah such as Qupe and see how they vary. Also, you could pick up a Crozes-Hermitage and see yet another expression of Syrah.
4.While some here may disagree with me on this, I probably would not get into Pinot Noir at this time. I only recently (within the past few years) started drinking Pinot and I have yet to find a bottle that I really enjoyed that cost less than $20.
5.Most importantly, have fun!! Don’t force yourself to like a wine just because critics or others say that it is supposed to be good. As your palate evolves so will your choice of wine.
__________________________ Alta is for skiers!
Posts: 1878 | Location: o-HIGH-o | Registered: May 05, 2005
I would also suggest a Beajolais for starters. You progression and taste will mature all by itself and you will start to identify more with wines you like. Remember its all about what YOU like. Thats the beauty of wine.
Posts: 20 | Location: San Diego | Registered: May 25, 2006
wine snobs do not read!!! My wife was the same way never tried wine. She hated every thing I gave her untill.... I bought a bottle of wild vines. It is more of a wine coller in a wine bottle. She loved it and now a few years latter her taste have realy changed and drinks both red and whites but stays away from the lighter wines calling them watery. So do not be affraid to start her on something so light. Remember the colder the better.
My wife was the same way never tried wine. She hated every thing I gave her untill.... I bought a bottle of wild vines. It is more of a wine coller in a wine bottle. She loved it and now a few years latter her taste have realy changed and drinks both red and whites but stays away from the lighter wines calling them watery. 
