Wine for beginners: 10 things you need to know before buying wine

Buying wine can seem quite complicated. In the shop or online you come across terms like Malbec, Chardonnay, tannins, terroir, oak-aged and DOC. And then you also have hundreds of different bottles to choose from.

But good news: you really don't need to be a wine expert to choose a tasty bottle of wine.

With these 10 things you already have the most important basics covered.

1. Get to know a few grape varieties

The grape is one of the most useful clues to the style of a wine.

For white wine, for example, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Riesling are well-known grape varieties. For red, you come across Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir among others.

Every grape has its own character. Sauvignon Blanc is often fresh and aromatic, while Chardonnay can be a bit fuller. Malbec often gives a fruity, full-bodied red wine and Pinot Noir is usually a bit lighter and more elegant.

You really don't need to know them all by heart. Start with a few grapes you enjoy and discover more from there.

2. The country doesn't tell the whole story

"An Italian wine" or "a French wine"" doesn't actually say that much yet.

Within one country, enormous differences can exist. A Sauvignon Blanc from France can, for example, taste very different from a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Even within one region, soil, altitude, climate and the way of winemaking can make a big difference.

That is why grape variety, origin and winemaker together are much more interesting than just the country on the label.

3. Red, white or rosé?

This may sound logical, but it is a good starting point.

White wine is often fresh and light, but can also be full and creamy.
Rosé is usually fruity, fresh and juicy.
Red wine varies from light and elegant to powerful and full-bodied.

And there is much more: sparkling wine, orange wine, dessert wine and of course alcohol-free wine.

So don't think that you only have to choose between red and white. 😉

4. Look at the words on the label

On a wine label there is often more information than you think.

For example, pay attention to:

• the grape variety
• the origin
• the producer
• the vintage
• the alcohol percentage
• any classifications or designations of origin

Terms like DOC, AOP or IGP can tell you something about the origin and regulations surrounding the wine.

But: a complicated label does not automatically mean the wine is better.

A simple bottle with little information can be fantastic and a prestigiously sounding wine may not appeal to you personally at all.

5. The vintage is not always decisive

On many wine bottles there is a year. That is the vintage, i.e. the year in which the grapes were harvested.

For some wines the vintage is very important. For others much less so.

A fresh Sauvignon Blanc, for example, is often drunk young, while certain red wines benefit from bottle aging.

And for sparkling wines or some other wine styles, there is no vintage on the bottle at all.

So: no vintage certainly does not mean there is something wrong with the wine.

6. Alcohol percentage says something about the style

The alcohol percentage can also give you a small clue.

A wine of 11% alcohol often feels different than a wine of 14.5%. A higher alcohol percentage can contribute to a fuller and warmer mouthfeel, while a lower percentage often goes with a lighter and fresher style.

But this also applies here: the alcohol percentage does not tell the whole story.

Acidity, tannins, sugar, fruit and alcohol must be in balance together.

7. Think about what you are going to eat with it

A wine does not have to be tasty on its own. With food it can sometimes come out even better.

A fresh white wine, for example, pairs nicely with fish and shellfish. A full-bodied red wine often does well with red meat and stews.

But also try to think outside the box.

A light red wine with fish? That is perfectly fine.
A full Chardonnay with chicken? Absolutely.
A rosé with barbecue? Definitely.

There are guidelines, not laws.

8. More expensive does not automatically mean tastier

This is perhaps one of the most important things to know.

A bottle of €30 does not have to be three times as tasty as a bottle of €10.

With more expensive wine you sometimes pay for scarcity, older vines, manual harvest, longer aging or a special origin. But ultimately taste is personal.

The best wine is not by definition the most expensive wine.

It is the wine of which you think:

"I want another glass of this."

9. You don't need to be a wine expert to taste

When someone says that a wine smells of cherries, violets, graphite or citrus, that can sometimes sound quite complicated.

But tasting wine is not an exam.

Just look first:

How does it smell?
Is it fresh or rather round?
Is it light or powerful?
Is it dry or sweet?
Do I like it?

That last one is perhaps the most important question.

Your taste develops naturally when you try different wines.

10. Ultimately trust your own taste

Wine critics can give a wine 95 points, while you don't like it at all.

That is no problem.

Wine is not an exact science where everyone has to get the same result. Your taste is influenced by what you eat, the moment, the company and simply by what you like.

So use wine knowledge mainly as a tool, not as a rulebook.

Try different grapes, countries and styles. Write down which wines you liked if you want. Before you know it you will discover patterns.

Maybe it turns out that you mainly like fresh white wines. Or full-bodied Malbecs. Or maybe that changes every week. That is also perfectly fine. 

---

Finally: don't make it too complicated

Discovering wine is mainly tasting, trying and staying curious.

You don't need to know what terroir means before you can choose a good bottle. You don't need to be a sommelier to appreciate a wine and you certainly don't need to spend hundreds of euros to drink something tasty.

Just start with what you like and discover more from there.

And you can't figure it out? Then we are of course happy to help you find a wine that suits your taste, dish and budget.