Buying wine can be intimidating. But it doesn’t need to be. The first step is admitting that you like wine, right?
That’s what this article is here for—to help you feel more at ease when buying your first bottle or trying something new again. The key to successful wine shopping is knowing what type of wine you like and having a general idea of the price range.
What Is Wine?
Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced from the fermented (but not necessarily the aging) fruit or grapes of several species of vinelike plants botanically known as Vitis and botanically related to grapes.
Yeast, not grapes, is the yeast used to make wine. Yeast converts the sugar in the grapes into alcohol and CO2. Longer fermentation produces more alcohol but results in a wine with a lower concentration of grapes’ natural sugars.
The specific process of making wine is called winemaking. Other common names for wine are grapes, grapeseed, and grape juice. Wine is made from fermented grapes, but in that fermentation, yeasts consume the sugars in the grapes and produce alcohol and CO2.
The CO2 is what makes a wine “go down easy” and is why you feel a “head rush” after you drink too much wine. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes, and grape juice becomes grape wine. That’s it! That’s all there is to it.
How to Buy Wine
Do your research. Learn about the variety of grapes used, the wine-making process, and the vintage of the wine. Find out what the reviews are. Read about the wine’s history and significance for the winemaker’s culture.
- Visit the store– Visit the store and walk through the wine section with a friend who can help you find what you’re looking for. If you’re not sure what you want, just ask the store employees for help.
- Shop online– Shop online for wines from all over the world. Sites like Wine.com, Wine Hawk, and Wine.com have all kinds of wines to choose from at affordable prices.
- Go to a local wine-tasting event– There’s no better way to learn about wine and taste a variety of wines than at a wine-tasting event. Visit a local wine shop or wine bar with a tasting event on the agenda and you’ll have a chance to taste many kinds of wines and meet the people who make them.
Tasting wine
Taste the wine before you buy it. Taste it in the store or order it online and make sure you love the experience. If you don’t love the taste, don’t buy it. Taste a variety of wines. Don’t get stuck in one tasting session. It’s important to taste a variety of wines so you can get a sense of what you like. Keep an open mind.
Don’t be afraid to try something new. If you’re not sure about wine, just try it. Be aware of your palate. Be aware of your taste buds and how you’re feeling as you taste the wine. If something doesn’t taste right, don’t ignore it.
Don’t drink too much wine. Drinking too much wine can give you a headache, make you sick, or both. Remember that wine is a fermented drink, and like beer and other fermented drinks, it is made from sugar. If you’re drinking too much wine, you’re also drinking sugar.
How much wine to buy?
The general rule is to buy one bottle of wine for every person who will be drinking it. So if there will be 4 people at your dinner party, buy 4 bottles of wine.
A common mistake people make when buying wine is thinking that the more expensive the bottle of wine the better it is. This is not the case.
While some expensive wines are higher quality than some less expensive wines, all wines taste better when you spend more money on them.
Where to buy wine?
Many grocery stores sell wine. Many large chain grocery stores like ShopRite, MarketRite, Food City, and local independent groceries also sell wine. You can also find the wine at liquor stores, specialty wine stores, and online wine stores. Online wine stores like Wine.com have all kinds of wines at affordable prices. Just make sure the shipping is free so you don’t end up paying too much in the shipping cost.
Finding a local winery
You can find wineries all over the country. Most have websites where you can find their phone number and address, and many have social media pages where you can find out what winery events they’re hosting. You can also ask your friends where they buy their wine or ask your neighbors.
You can also ask your local liquor store or see if they have any recommendations. Before you go on your search for a local winery, write down the name and address of the winery you’re considering. You can always look up the address if you write down the wrong information.
Final Words
Wine is an important part of many cultures, and it can be fun to try new wines now and then. When you shop for wine, make sure to keep these tips in mind to make your shopping experience as smooth and rewarding as possible.
- Begin by admitting that you like wine, and then make it your mission to learn more about it.
- Know the type of wine you like and the price range.
- Taste the wine before you buy it, and keep an open mind while you’re drinking.
- Don’t drink too much wine.
- Remember that wine isn’t just for special occasions. It can be enjoyed with meals, with friends, and during any other time of the day.
