There Are No Rules

All too often new consumers are put off by the “rules” of wine drinking.  Well, rest easy, recruits. I am here to tell you once and for all: THERE ARE NO RULES.  You don’t have to pair red wines with red meats; white wines with white meats; pay more for better wine; or listen to those stuffy-shirt sales reps who try and escort you down the wrong aisles just to promote their weekly features.

Wine is WHATEVER you want it to be.  Buying that $10 bottle in lieu of the $20 one is not a crime.  Drinking Cabernet with Chicken Piccata won’t land you in the clink.  And telling that salesman at the local grocery store “thanks, but no thanks,” can only empower you.  Soon enough you’ll be paying for what you can afford and drinking what you like.  And that’s the best thing you can do when introducing yourself to the world of wine.

Step 1: Ignore the so-called “rules” of wine.  Drink what you like, with whatever and whenever you like.

You DO NOT have to pair red meats with red wines, nor white wines with white meats.  This is not a required part of drinking and enjoying wine.  Often you will find that this “law” of wine is a great suggestion, but what it all boils down to is that you are drinking what you prefer.  How else can you really expect to enjoy yourself when you’re constantly being steered down the wrong path?  Yes, it’s important to experience as many different varietals as you can, but do so once you’ve established a roster of the wines you know you enjoy, then move on from there.

Step 2: When you’re out shopping for wine, avoid the grocery store.  You will easily (and more often) pay DOUBLE what you would from a local wine shop or specialty store, like the Vine & Olive.  The mark-ups in a grocery store wine aisle are outrageous.  And if a grocery store boasts a “sale” on any of their wines, it’s typically because they need to move some inventory that’s been sitting too long on their shelves.  Don’t bother.   You’re better off seeking out those tiny wine shops and locally owned liquor stores for the right prices and more appropriate customer service.  (Even if you have to drive out of your way, you’ll quickly discover that it’s totally worth the trip.)

Step 3: Don’t be swayed into buying a more expensive bottle of wine because the salesperson says it’s better.  It very well may be a “better” bottle of wine, but YOU know what YOU like.  If The Show Cabernet is your go-to red, then grab it.  Often times, yes, that pricier bottle of wine is of a better quality (better grapes, better processing, better climate for growing conditions, and better winemakers), however, the decision is ultimately YOURS.  Wine salespeople know their products but they don’t know you.

Step 4: Take care of the wine you buy.  Wine – red or white – is a fickle entity.  In order to preserve the joys within every bottle, you really need to know how to care for it.  Red wine should be stored at a temperature above 50 degrees and just below 60.  White wine is best served cold, but you can store it at just a nice, cool temperature until you know you’re going to uncork it.  Also, it is important to keep these bottles on their side or angled in such a way that the cork stays wet.  If the cork dries up, it will shrink and allow oxygen in – resulting in a “corked” bottle of wine.  Essentially what that means is you now are stuck with an undrinkable bottle of wine that, should you choose to sample it, would taste like nothing but wet cork.  Not a fun occasion.  How do you know if it’s corked?  Just take a whiff.  If all you smell is wet wood or the basement floor, you got yourself a corked bottle of vino.  Dump it.

Step 5: Enjoy yourself!  Even if you select a bottle of wine that doesn’t deliver like you had hoped, take what you’ve learned from the experience and use it to better your next purchase.  Take notes, if you think it will help you remember or make better wine store purchases in the future.  If you’re not one who likes to do all the sniffing and swirling as part of your wine experience, don’t feel like you belong in a separate consumer category.  Again, it’s all about enjoying what you’re tasting and enjoying yourself (or anyone else in your company) while you’re at it.

The world of wine offers limitless adventures.  Don’t by a map.  Just hit the ground running and keep tasting new wines.

In vino veritas.
~ John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer