No, really. I’ve been collecting wine advice items off the internet for some time now. But none really rated a solo post. Then Erin said, “Why not create a ‘best of’ compendium?” From the mouths of babes… Here we go!
This post will stand the test of time as your go-to online reference re.- wine. It is, in fact, an index to four separate wine-related posts that cover the whole gamut of grapy wisdom…
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
This heft digital tome is all it proclaims itself to be. I know. I taught home wine making and wine appreciation on the adult night school curriculum in the city where I grew up. And I was recruited to that opportunity because I was, at the time, working for a chain of stores that specialized in wine and beer making supplies. But back to the website…
It’s one of those online ‘slideshows’ that capsulize issues conveniently – some better than others. Use this link as your starting point in searches for any kind of wine information. It covers all the basic bases better than any other ‘Beginner’s Guide’ to wine I’ve surveyed. And that’s a lot of them…
Wine Myths Debunked
Not one, but 2 posts in this category – covering the broadest possible swathe of wine-related myths and legends.
…From screw caps to cheap bottles
Here, you’ll find the answers to a host of most-asked wine-related questions that keep coming up in conversations – usually over a glass of the subject matter.
You’ll learn why screw caps are actually better closures than corks for some wines. Why the most expensive bottle on the wine list is usually not the best value. You’ll discover what wine ‘legs’ really tell the aficionado. And which common wine making chemical doesn’t really cause hangovers…
Biggest alcohol myths you thought were true
These revelations go for all types of alcoholic beverages. and they cover all the common misconceptions about drinking.
For example… Mixing your drinks does NOT cause hangovers. Coffee does NOT sober you up. Mixing alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks is a big no-no. And the ‘hair of the dog’ cure is pure dog… nonsense.
How not to be spotted as a newbie
This one may, in fact, be the most crucial reference for the complete beginner to winedom. It can help you avoid revealing your ignorance of wine culture and lore – while you hang with the old hands and soak up the wine ‘smarts’.
When you refer to champagne or sparking wine, say ‘bubbly’, not ‘fizzy’. Rosé is NOT a blend of Red and White. Wine does not have an aroma, much less a ‘smell’. It has a ‘bouquet’. And wine snob adjectives to describe a vintage are not something you can learn overnight.
While we’re at it…
You need to know that the most dangerous pit trap in the path to wine wisdom is mispronouncing wine names. They’re almost all from non-English languages, and therefore are not meant to be pronounced according to English rules.
For example… Do NOT pronounce the ‘t’ at the end of Pinot or Merlot. Pronounce the ‘eau’ or ‘aux’ at the and of a French wine name ‘oh!’ And remember that ‘w’ and ‘v’ are both pronounced as ‘v’ in German wine names. Don’t even get me started on Italian ones…
It just so happens that I’ve posted a list of the most common wine names – with pronouncers – in this very space.
You’re welcome…
~ Maggie J.