New to Wines

[wineguruchgo]

I am fortunate that I grew up in NY and we had several wineries that were pretty good. They specialized in the German Varietals and I started there.

There are many Rieslings or Gewurtztraminers (Ge-vurtz-tra-meener) that are fairly inexpensive. That is another alternative for a beginner.

Rule of Thumb: All whites should be chilled. Put in fridge for a few hours before consumming. Red wines do not need to be chilled although you might find them easier to drink. For the most part I would stay away from red wines for a little while until you acquire the taste for wine. Unless, of course, if you enjoy big beers like Chimay. If you can handle Chimay you can handle red wine. I would, however, consume the wines with food. I've been drinking red wine for years and I have trouble drinking it without food.

When trying wine for the first time - the first sip doesn't count. Your brain might be thinking wine, but your taste buds are thinking beer and it's going to be a shock. Take a few sips before you come to conclusion.

Another rule of thumb! Smell the wine before you try it. If it smells like Grandma's basement, don't drink it. That smell means the wine is bad and you should put the cork back in the bottle and take it back where you bought it. I would hate for you to have a really bad experience right out of the gate!

It's a great big wine world out there and I'm so glad that you have decided to explore it.

[This message has been edited by wineguruchgo (edited 01-09-2004).]