Food & Wine festival - how does one become a wine drinker?

[newholidayx2]

Im usually a beer drinker but I'll be there at the F&W festival. Have a Food & Wine pairing and a cheese tasting scheduled.
How does one become a wine drinker? are there begineer wines to get ones taste adapted? are there wines to avoid? are there wines to "grow into"? I'll be attending the Coral Reef wine pairing and the France cheese tasting.
Please tell me everything you know about wines?

 

[A fat english gent]

They come in red,rosie and white in colour sorry that's all know.....

 

[newholidayx2]

ya thats about all i know too

 

[fwm]

Going to the wine pairings is actually a good introduction to wines.

 

[jenelope]

The only way I know to become a wine drinker is to drink a lot of wine. Luckily, that's a lot of fun! What I usually do is open a bottle on Friday, then drink it over the course of the weekend. You don't have to spend a lot of money for a decent tasting bottle of wine. If I'm trying a new type of wine, I usually try to buy a bottle from the middle price range. Often, grocery and wine stores will put put a description of the wine and a magazine score on the wine's shelf. These can be very handy. If you go to a wine store, please speak to the salespeople. They're trained to help!

I'd say the most popular wines are chardonnay, merlot, and zinfandel, judging by what you can find at most grocery stores. Personally, I don't really like any of those wines, but I can dig a good chardonnay sometimes. My favorites are syrah/shiraz (same wine- different regions), sangiovese, pinot noir, vouvray, riesling, and gewurtzraminer. I'm in the camp that believes what you eat with the wine has a big impact on your enjoyment of the wine. I can't imagine a pinot noir with fried chicken and a riesling with a steak, but the other way around sounds perfect! For the record, I feel the same way about beer. Guinness with steak; Molson Canadian in a golf cart.

I think attending a food and wine pairing sounds like a perfect way to branch out.

 

[sarcasticfiesta]

The best advice I can give you is to just to try a variety of wines. I've recently become and avid wine drinker. I began by just going to the grocery store and picking out wines by reading the description on the backs of the bottles. It just all depends on your taste. I'm sure there will be a CM at the wine pairing that can help you out. Just tell them what tastes are pleasing to you and they can probably reccommend something.

 

[tkldisney]

Do any of your local stores do wine tastings? Here in OH we have wine tastings someplace everyday. Local wine stores, grocery stores & restraurants do them. That's a great way to try different styles for low cost.
DH & I drink a bottle 3 times a week. I just have couple glasses out of the bottle. It depends too on what we're eating. If chicken or seafood we normally have a white (Chardonnay), if beef a red (cabernet or merlot), pasta/pizza zinfindel or other spicy red. I love a good Pinot Noir.
It's definitily something that you have to acquire a taste for. You are suppose to drink Cabs & Merlots around 55-57 degrees, which took me forever to get used to drinking something not real cold. Now reds are my favorite.
To start out you might try something sweeter like a white zin or riesling.

 

[yearbook50]

I know you are from central MA - Both of these local wineries offer wine tastings.
you could go to Nashoba Winery in Bolton ($3)
http://www.nashobawinery.com/tours.html

Hardwick Winery in Hardwick (free)
http://www.hardwickwinery.com/


If you need someone to join you...just ask

 

[fairycat]

I love Wine which is a big part of my trip to WDW for the Food and Wine Festival.

My helpful hints;

1. Wine tasting are wonderful because you can try small amounts to get a feel for what you like and can then move on to a full glass.

2. What you eat and drink can effect you taste buds. Not eating some heavy foods before wine tasting is a good idea also cleanse the palet with the crackers or water they tend to provide. I also am of the old school in start with white wines, move on to reds and lastly enjoy your dessert wines.

3. Ask questions and listen to the experts. I have not tasted at Epcot but I know at DCA they have many knowledgeable people with amazing amounts of knowledge (if in DCA look for Harold he is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!).

Its amazing what they can teach you about varietals, regions and just general wine making. Some is very interesting and some really does help you to appreciate the wines and helps you to find others you would like.

Good wines to start with

Whites-
White Zinfindel- a lightly sweet blush colored wine
Savingon Blanc- a simple dry white wine
Chardonnay- a white that tends to be dry and crisp with a slight apple flavor, not everyone likes this one right off but it is a good starting point
Champagne- Another great wine to start with as its very excessible for many palets
Sparkling Wine- is pretty much the same as the above but only wines from Champagne France can carry the Champagne name, most of your quality Sparkling Wines are from California. You can have white or Blush/Rose/Pink also in this catagory.
Riesling- can be lightly sweet or dry
Gewurztraimer- same as above

Reds-
Merlot- tends to be a little less tannic and a bit fruity
Zinfandal- is one of those wines that is either amazing or forgetable when its good it can be a bold, fruit forward well rounded blend.
Syrah/Shiraz- first California tends to use Syrah, Austraila tends to use Shiraz. Temps and Soil can make the same grape taste very different from the different regions. I tend to like more spice and bold flavor so tend to prefer Shiraz
Cabernet Savingon- Another Bold well rounded wine when done well


Dessert Wines-

Late Harvest Blends- These are wines that are picked later in the season to allow the natural sugars in the grape to concentrate to their fullest. These wines are sweet and come in many different styles or grapes or blends of grapes

Moscato Di Asti- is a great wine if you can find it, it has a light natural carbonation just like champagne and has a sweet fruit forward (apples, sometimes peaches) and is just lovely as not as heavy sweet as some dessert wines

Ice Wine- This is a amazing style of wine making! Some winemakers in cold regions will allow their crops to stay on the vine past the first frost, this introduces something called "noble rot" its a type of fungus that effects the sugar in the grapes. This process can damage large parts of the crop making them useless but is a gamble some growers are willing to take. There is some Ice Wine in some regions are now creating ice wine in coolers and it has brought some prices down of this sweet treat.

I hope this isn't too much information I really love wine! Most important have fun with it! I was given good advice "Don't drink anyway you don't like" Also if your friend likes it give it to them and try another!

 

[bearzabout]

Good beginner wines are ones that are sweeter, fruitier and lighter. Big tannic red wines are generally appreciated more by those with a developed palate. They are also better with food.

I'd start with lighter whites - Sauvignon Blancs, Rieslings, Pouilly-fume, Sancerre, Pinot Grigio, non-oaked Chardonnay

or
Sweet sparkling wines - try Banfi Rosa Regale (sparkling red from Italy great when paired with dark chocolate)

or
lighter reds
Beaujolais, New Zealand reds, Rioja, Merlot

Syrah (Shiraz), Pinotage (from South Africa), Meritage (US Bordeaux style), Pinot Noirs and Cab Sauvs are more tannic reds that beginner may not like when drunk without food.

These general rules do not apply to everyone. I'd try many of them and see what you like (the free wine seminars are a cheap way to try them).

Pairing wine with food is worth learning about. The right combination improves the experience of both. This is what the seminars and dinners are really about.

 

[momomonster]

Here is how I began drinking wine, and I think it's a common progression:

"Party punch" or white zinfandel is what I started with, but cannot STAND it now. It's easy for a beginner because it's sweet, kinda like a cocktail. (There is MUCH snobbery in the wine world against all roses, but there are many good ones. Don't let people talk you out of trying them!)

Moved on to lighter red wine (pinot noir), but you might want to move onto a sweeter white like riesling or maybe a drier rose like Crios.

For many years I preferred a heavier red like shiraz or cabernet, but now I'm liking the middle reds like merlot and the dry whites like chardonnay.

The Wall Street Journal has a really nice wine column and I get lots of tips from them. Good luck and Happy Travels!

 

[Muushka]

I was introduced to wine in Italy. They would serve it with every dinner and by the time I left, I was hooked. It took about 2 weeks. Have fun!

 

[OKW Lover]

F&W is a great place to try several different wines and learn what you like.
We love the Australian "wine walkabout" where you pay one fee and get to sample 4 different wines from a choice of a dozen. My wife & I usually both buy the package then we make a point to get a different wine at each station so we can share and compare.

Caution: Broad Generalizations to follow - take with a grain of salt!
Most "beginners" seem to like sweeter wines, especially white wines. You might want to start with them.
Don't be afraid to try all the varieties. Even an "uneducated" pallet will be able to tell the differences.
Don't "chug" the wine. You're supposed to sniff it, gaze longingly at it, check the "legs" and lots of other things according to the wine experts - but the most important is to take small sips and let it roll around in your mouth before swallowing. That lets your taste buds get the full appreciation of the wine and notice all the various "after notes" of the particular wine.

Enjoy your adventure!

 

[jenelope]

(There is MUCH snobbery in the wine world against all roses, but there are many good ones. Don't let people talk you out of trying them!)

The motto of the Wine Brats used to be "Friends don't let friends drink white zin." I always thought that was funny, but I see they've backed down from that recently.

 

[momomonster]

Ha Ha "Friends don't let friends drink white zin".

I think it's funny, too, but after watching Sideways and that one character *freaking out* over the suggestion he would have to drink Merlot, I'm laughing harder about the wine snobs!

As many have alluded to on this thread, any wine varietal will have its good and bad. I was literally talked out of ordering a rose I already knew and enjoyed by a waiter pushing dry whites. Hubby was having steak that night, so it really messed things up. I regret not sticking to my guns and demanding the dry rose.

 

[Leota]

Good Thread!

I love Wine. I am fairly new to the Wonderful World of Wine, but completely Obsessed with it!

F&W Fest has much to do with that. I did alot of tasting & made alot of notes on what I liked / disliked & why. Then I went to my local Liquor Store & asked to talk to the Wine Guy (or Gal) I explained that I was new to wine & what I had discovered so far & asked for help. Jim (my Wine Guy) was really excited to share his knowledge with me & together we developed my Palette much in the way that Fairycat described. I took to Wine like a Duck to water, I think because of my Culinary Background.

Winos LOVE to talk wine & to help you along. Just ask - at F&W Fest and at your local store. PftS is a Great place to learn about wine, since there are so many Winery reps there to tell you about their wines.

Wine has become part of our family dining experience. (my DS is grown) We have wine with dinner every night & often with lunch on Saturday. Wine is always paired very thoughtfully with our food - to us it's a necessary condiment to be savored, enjoyed & shared.

We are lucky enough to live just outside the Finger Lakes region of NY, so we regularly do Wine Trail events & learn more each time. Next up - Napa & Sonoma!

Good luck - Enjoy & Salude!

 

[ntsammy5]

Im usually a beer drinker

How does one become a wine drinker?

1.) Open the bottle
2.) Open your mouth
3.) Pour contents of bottle into mouth
4.) You're now a wine drinker!

​

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1.) Open the bottle
2.) Open your mouth
3.) Pour contents of bottle into mouth
4.) You're now a wine drinker!

1) That is the easy part, yet still quite satisfying.
2) The harder part is selecting what to drink.
3) My advice
. . . start with a ruby-red Ripple
. . . progress to a full bodied Boone's Farm
. . . OK, so those are optional steps (LOL)
. . . now, on to the stuff from a wine store
. . . let them describe wines for your taste and the dishes you are preparing
. . . start with less expensive wines, then migrate to higher priced
. . . this becomes a good learning curve
4) Now, if you are serious, get a subscription to Wine Spectator Magazine

NOTE: Once you get going, don't become a wine snob. Some of the best wines I have had were in the wine-store-price-range of $7-$10 per bottle. Conversely, I had major disappointments in some very high priced wines.

 

[bavaria]

1.) Open the bottle
2.) Open your mouth
3.) Pour contents of bottle into mouth
4.) You're now a wine drinker!

1. I believe that we determined
2. that Rusty has the trademark on posting this way
3. but I agree
4. don't become a winesnob and only consider the price!

 

[ntsammy5]

Some of the best wines I have had were in the wine-store-price-range of $7-$10 per bottle. [/I]

I'm a wine snob in that I try to keep all my wine purchases under $10 a bottle. Very, very, very dry reds. Did I mention dry? With all the Chilean, Australian, South African etc, etc, etc wines flooding the market, being a wino (sorry) connaisseur has never been better.

Beer is good too!

Nothing says good time like a Sangiovase with a beer chaser!