The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Wine

The alcohol beverage wine is produced from fermented juice of grapes. The taste of wine is determined by the type of grapes, vintage, and winemaking method. Drinking wine is not just about drinking alcohol; it’s an experience. Our wine guide is designed to enhance your wine experience by helping you learn the basics about wine.

Wine Basics

The grapes used to make wine, are smaller and sweeter. They also have thicker skins, and seeds. Over 1,300 varieties of wine grapes are used for commercial production. However, only 100 varieties account for 75% of all vineyards in the world. Wine producers around the world plant these grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon is today the most widely planted grape variety in the world. Other important red grape varieties include Syrah and Merlot, and white grapes are Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris.

There are Five Main Types of Wine

All wines can easily be divided into five groups. Each group contains hundreds of grape varieties and winemaking techniques.

Red Wine

The grapes used to make red wines are black. Red wine grapes include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

White Wine

White wines can have flavors that are light or rich. They are made from grapes, usually white but sometimes black. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling are some of the most important grape varieties for white wines.

Rose Wine

The skins of black grapes are removed before the wine turns a deep red. Rose can also be made by mixing white and red wines together. Roses are available in both sweet and dry styles.

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wines can be white, red or rose, and they range from dry and lean to sweet and rich. This winemaking method involves secondary fermentation to create bubbles.

Dessert Wine

Dessert wines are usually sweet. However, there are many fortified, dry wines, like dry Sherry. Fortifying wine is a style of winemaking that involves adding spirits.

What is the Best way to Drink Wine?

This wine guide will take you through the entire process of tasting wines.

1. Look at the bottle label. This will help you understand the origin of the wine, such as the type of grapes and the vintage.
2. Choose the correct glassware Select the appropriate glasses for red, white or sparkling wine.
3. The stem of the wine glass is the best place to hold the glass. The heat and smell of your hands will not interfere with the aromas in wine.
4. Pour and swirl Pour approximately one-third of the glass, and gently swirl it in the glass. The swirling of wine will increase oxygen levels in the glass, which will intensify the aromas in red wines.
5. The complexity of the wine will determine the intensity of the aroma. Simple wines have primary fruit aromas, whereas complex wines have secondary aromas that are generated by the winemaking process. Finally, wines that have been aged will also exhibit tertiary aromatics such as oak.
6. Wine is meant to be tasted. Swirl the wine in your mouth, not swallow it. This will help you absorb its flavors. You should take time to taste the wine and assess its intensity. Then, you can swallow it to finish. The taste of a good finish will remain on your tongue for a long time. You spit the wine out in professional tasting to compare and analyze wine styles.

What is the Best way to Drink Red Wine?

At room temperature, or slightly below. Reds can be put in the refrigerator for a few moments before opening.

How to Drink White Wine

It’s best to warm whites in the glass before drinking them. Avoid over-chilling as this will alter the taste.

How to Drink Rose Wine

Do not over chill the rose wine. Don’t over-chill as it will alter the bouquet and taste.

What is the best way to Drink Champagne or Sparkling Wine?

Store in a dry, cool place. You should store the Champagne or Sparkling Wine in an ice bucket for 30 minutes or the refrigerator. The best way to ensure that the Champagne or Sparkling Wine stays bubbly is with a flute.

How to Open a Bottle of Wine

There are many different types of bottles, and the majority have screw caps or corks. Champagne and Sparkling bottles are corked with a cage, so they need to be opened differently than still wine bottles.

How to Open a Bottle of Still Wine

Wine bottles are either screw-on or cork caps. The Screw Cap is easy to open, just like a regular wine bottle. For corked bottles:

• A corkscrew must be used to open a wine bottle that has been popped.
• Use the small blade of the corkscrew to remove the foil from the top of the cork.
• The spiral of the corkscrew should be twisted into the cork.
• To remove the cork from a bottle, lift the handle of the screwdriver once the cork is almost halfway in the screwdriver.

How to Open a Bottle of Champagne?

If the bottle of Champagne, Sparkling Wine or other wine is not chilled enough to prevent the cork from releasing very easily due to the pressure within the bottle, it will be a problem.

• Remove the foil from below the large lip on the bottle using a wine key.
• To prevent the cork from flying off, place a napkin (folded in half lengthwise) or towel over the cage.
• Keep the pressure on the cork and unwind the cage in a counterclockwise direction.
• Do not twist the cork, but the bottle.
• Slowly remove the cork from the bottle once the bottle has started to spin.
• The hissing (opening noise) will be more gentle the slower the cork is separating itself from the glass. You can therefore control how the cork separates from the bottle, despite pressure.

How long does open wine last?

The type of wine you are storing and the conditions in which it is stored will determine how long your wine lasts. The wine will change in taste after the first 24 hours as it oxidizes. It is safe to drink the “spoiled” wine because it is vinegar. The storage conditions of different wines are therefore crucial to their taste.

How long does open white wine last?

The wine’s overall fruit character will become less vibrant and less intense.

• For most white wines, 5-7 days with a cork in the refrigerator is sufficient.
• For full-bodied whites, store them in the fridge for 3-5 days with a cork.

How long does open red wine last?

The longer a red wine tends to stay open, the more tannins and acidity it has. A light red wine with little tannin will not last as long as a strong red.

• With a cork, keep the wine for 3-5 days.

How long does open rose wine last?

The wine’s overall fruit character will become less vibrant and less intense.

• For most white wines, 5-7 days with a cork in the refrigerator is sufficient.

How long does open Champagne or Sparkling Wine last?

After opening, Champagne and Sparkling wines quickly lose their carbonation. These wines’ longevity is also affected by the winemaking process.

• The sparkling wine can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-3 days with a stopper.

How long does open fortified wine last?

The longer the wine remains open, the sweeter it is.

• Keep them in the refrigerator for 28 days.

Can you drink Mulled Wine cold?

Spiced wine is another name for Mulled Wine. Mulled wine is made from red wine, mulling spices and sometimes raisins. This is a traditional drink, particularly around Christmas.

The alcoholic and the non-alcoholic versions are available.

Mulled wine is delicious because of the aromas that are released when spices are heated. The aromas are only released when the wine has reached a high temperature, adding a deeper flavor to it.

You will lose the delicate aromas and flavors of mulled wine if you drink it cold. The taste will also be different.

What Happens If You Drink Old Wine

The wine’s fruity flavors will be gone, replaced by nutty ones and its color will begin to brown. The wine won’t be tasty, but it’s not dangerous. It would still be unpalatable, but not harmful, even if it had turned into vinegar.

The definition of wine is simple, but it’s a complex category that includes many varietals and an infinite number of terroirs. This wine guide is intended to introduce you to the basic level of wine.