Originally posted by JC Butterfly
okay, dumb question. My husband and I are just starting to branch out and try different wines. Is there a website or book you would suggest for learning more about different wines?
I assume that a "merlot" is not the same as any other "merlot". What will increase the liklihood that we would enjoy a wine?
also, with the packages can we have several bottles open at the same time and can I enjoy one type while hubby has another? Do you just ask for what you want from the server?
First, you may enjoy the wine tasting class that is available on many of the cruises. It was conducted in Palo, lasted an hour, and included tastes of six different wines with instruction/discussion from the sommeliers on board (each restaurant has its own staff sommelier) about each wine and how to pair various wines with food . Cost was $10. Quite informative and enjoyable.
To increase the likelihood that you will enjoy a wine, continue evaluating different wines as you have an opportunity to taste. Identify wines you like and ask the advice of the sommeliers or servers at restaurants that pay attention to wine for recommendations of wines to try with different foods. Good sommeliers are trained to assist people with the selection of wines that meet their tastes and budget. It's a poor sommelier who only recommends the most expensive wines from his/her list rather than working with the diner to make a suitable selection within budgetary constraints. (An approach that sometimes works is to ask the sommelier for a recommendation while mentioning a wine from the wine list that you might be considering. This gives him/her an idea of your budget and provides an opportunity for a recommendation of another selection priced in the same ballpark that might be a good choice with the meals you've chosen.)
Another approach that may work for you is to look for a liquor store in your area that pays attention to wine. Many of these will do tastings on a regular basis. For example, we have a couple of liquor stores in the Chicago suburbs that do tastings just about every Saturday. These are usually low cost (proceeds to charity) or free and provide a good opportunity to taste and discuss a variety of wines (all of which are available for sale, of course).
With the wine package on the cruise (or even if you are selecting individual bottles), you can certainly have more than one bottle opened and poured. They will close and store leftovers and bring them to the dining room the following night if you ask, so you do not have to finish off every open bottle in a single sitting.
Another alternative to purchasing one of the wine packages on the cruise is to purchase wine by the glass. The menu will show a wine available by the glass recommended for each of the entrees and appetizers.
For DW and me, it's sometimes better to order wine by the glass in a restaurant rather than purchasing a full bottle since DW limits herself to one glass only and I may not wish to finish off the rest of a full bottle in a single sitting. On the cruise, I wasn't driving
, so we did enjoy the wine package and I had to "work" to finish off a bottle per night (nice work if you can get it).
Ralph
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