Wine 101

For those who are used to dining in elegance, there is no doubt in your mind about choosing a fine wine to complement a particular menu choice. Others may not be as knowledgeable and need some assistance with making a wine selection or pairing wine with a favorite dish. It's not just about choosing white or red wine, but whether you choose fine wine from France, Italy, or other countries or perhaps make a selection from fine California wines. Is there a difference in flavor between a fine wine from France as opposed to California wines that are aged and processed the same?

Wine Etiquette
The most important thing you will learn is that every fine wine goes through an individual process in order to give it its own unique flavor. For example, Chardonnay is a fine wine in the white wine class, but its flavor differs immensely from that of the California wines in the same class. If that were not the case, it would not matter which type of wine you chose within its class whether it was white, red, or rose. However, since there is a distinct difference in flavor between imported and domestic wines, anyone's flavor preference is as individual as one's fingerprints, so respect the wine preferences of others.

Wine Tasting
Some people may choose from the California wines due to the rice difference between domestic and imported wines. Though budgetary concerns are important, you should not make that your primary reason for choosing any particular wine. Your primary reason should be flavor and fragrance of the wine, something you will learn over time. Many new wine connoisseurs learn how to do this at wine tasting events, but it involves placing the wine in the glass and moving it in a circular motion to allow the fragrances to become absorbed before smelling and tasting the wine. This assures the wine is perfect for drinking.