The Basics Of Wine

By Gregory Cartier
Lifestyle Correspondent
Every other Friday

You have finally managed to win the interest of the one woman who has captivated your heart and you're finally on a date at her favorite restaurant. Sitting there, enamored with her, the waiter brings you back to reality by asking you which wine you'd like to order.

You suddenly break a sweat and realize that you haven't the slightest clue what to order because you don't even know the basics of wine. Sure, you can get away with ordering the most expensive bottle on the menu, but who are you going to impress by doing that? Yourself? You could also order one of the least expensive wines. While choosing wine based on price is effective, it's not optimal because you end up missing out on the better things out there.

To help you discover the better things out there (and save you some embarrassment on future dates), we're here to give you some of the basics of wine.

Learning the basics of wine

After deciding to learn the basics of wine, where do you start? We caught up with our good friend Gérard Spatafora, who modestly describes himself as a wine lover but we consider him quite the connoisseur. So we decided to sit down with the man they call G (over a glass of wine of course) and ask him some questions to help out the everyday man -- be it when he's with the one who's caught his eye or the one that he is trying to impress over business.

Before we even discuss wine, Gérard offers us the most fundamental advice: If you really have no clue, the last thing you should do is act because, as is the case in life, love and labor, acting like someone you are not makes you look like a fool -- pure and simple. So be yourself and simply browse over the menu as a first step. Not only will this familiarize you with the restaurant's offerings, it also gives you the opportunity to throw the ball in your guest's court.

Ask them if they have a preference. For one, it shows that you are courteous and polite. Moreover, it does not hurt to get a recommendation by someone who has already tried a certain wine.

But assuming he or she does not know the basics of wine, you haven't exactly progressed now, have you?

Sold by the glass
You don't need to get a bottle for starters; Gérard adds that an increasing number of restaurants offer wines by the glass. So, if you are with a business acquaintance, you may want to go easy and try one of the various suggested wines. Of course, if you are with a potential love interest, nothing comes close to sharing a bottle of wine with the woman who has captured your attention.

Being the humorous person that he is, Gérard reminds us (we wonder why) that wine does not quench one's thirst, so the message here is do not chug, but to sip your wine. Order a glass of water if you are thirsty.

Pairing your wine
Aperitif
If you wish to start off with a glass of wine before a meal, choose a lighter selection, preferably white or rosé. Since these wines are chilled, they are perfectly complementary with appetizers.

A salad of options
A nice American chardonnay is the way to go if you wish to have wine with salad. It has an overall fruity taste and suits most salads.

Pasta, pizza, perfection
Rosés get the nod again when it comes to pasta or pizza, although you are pretty safe with red wine for meat and tomato sauces.

Rosés have a bad reputation because they're sometimes still associated with the sweet, tacky white zinfandels enjoyed by bachelorette parties in the 1980s. However, rosé is in fact a great choice, especially if you stick with one from Southern France, where the best examples tend to come from.

Red, red, wine
Is all of this rose talk making you nauseous? Fear not, it is time to take out the red wine. So, when is it suitable to have red? Red is best served any time you are going to eat meat, especially red meat. Red wine is also suitable when you serve plates of cheese or pate since such foods have very strong aromas.

When it comes to fish and seafood, go with dry and white -- something along the lines of a Sancerre, for example.

Gérard also adds that many consider Champagne to be a party drink (to which we add, which drink is not a party drink?), so he recommends having a glass as an aperitif or to cap off a meal. He also told us that champagne makes a great substitute or complement to dessert.

So by now you know which color the wine should be. What about the different kinds of wine?
Wine varieties to start with

Chianti
Chianti is a wine from the Tuscany region in Northern Italy (where, apparently, there are no vacant condos). Its price has risen in recent years as a result of its heightened quality. Chiantis are perfect with white meats such as pork or chicken.

Chardonnay
We asked about chardonnay, and Gerard was quick to add that the ladies have a particular soft spot for this type. Gentlemen, take note. Chardonnay is perfect with appetizers or salads.

Merlot
Merlots are very popular and go well with red meat, rich sauces and cheese. Merlot is among the most popular choices these days.

There are many, many wine varieties, and the best way to learn if you like them or not is to try them. Get started putting together a list of your favorites.

budget and explore

When it comes to the most delicate of factors, keep in mind that it is the booze that racks up the bill at the end of the night. So what you should do is select a couple to a handful of bottles that are in your price range, and ask the waiter to give you his advice. He will understand not to suggest something outside of these bounds, and he will, in most cases, give you honest and valuable tips.

Finally, do not be shy to explore. Wine connoisseurs have tested their palates thousands of times, so while they may have a tendency to go with their favorites, new wine drinkers should take the plunge and try out different wines to see what suits them.


source: askmen.com