Wine is not trying to intimidate you. While it is complex as beverages go, wine is also friendly and easy to enjoy on nearly any level. A discovery (not an invention), wine was always inevitable–with sugar on their insides and naturally occurring yeasts on their skins, it’s almost as if grapes were sent on a sure-fire mission to make something big happen. Mission accomplished! 

Starting around 8,000 years ago, our neolithic ancestors began to enjoy (or, at the very least, appreciate) wine. In other words, cave dwellers embraced the wonders of wine. With no upper crust of society in charge of wine for the vast majority of its existence, the idea of wine as the domain of the privileged (and snooty) doesn’t add up. Wine is a drink for the people.

Having said that, our appreciation for wine increases as we learn more about its many facets. Here are my top tips for getting the most out of every drop.

Temperature –Societally, we tend to drink white wine too cold and red wine too warm in America (and other "new world" wine regions as well. When a wine is too cold, it shuts down, revealing little in the way of aromas or flavors. On the other hand, a wine consumed too warm loses nuance. Weighed down by alcohol, it will come across as flabby in the mouth. Most white wines are best consumed between 45° and 55° F; think 55° to 65° for most reds. You can explore more about wine and temperature here.

Saving wine –Cold is nature’s best preservative and a $20 vacuum pump is a wine lover’s best accessory for keeping an open bottle fresh. A little oxygen is nice for a wine right out of the bottle, but too much is, well, too much. A vacuum pump draws oxygen out of a partial bottle and will help preserve the remaining wine for 3 to 5 days. Otherwise, an open bottle will lose its charm overnight. Whether white or red, keep opened bottles in your fridge and remove at an appropriate time before you plan to enjoy.

Storing wine –Here’s another consideration related to temperature. Unopened bottles should be stored in the range of 45° to 65° F (55° is ideal). If you’re not sure at what point you should invest in a dedicated wine refrigerator, consider your current wine storage situation. If you can’t maintain the wine at 65° or cooler in all 4 seasons, then maybe the time is now. At 70°, your wine will start to deteriorate.

Aging wine –How long should you (or can you) hold on to your wine? Most wines made these days are not intended to age significantly. For white wines you pick up at your local grocery store, maybe a year or 2 (though they should be ready to enjoy now). For red wines you purchase casually, it’s probably something like 1 to 3 years. Or just till tonight is fine, too. In general, the more expensive the wine, the longer the aging potential. Unless you want to collect wine, however, I don’t see the point other than saving a special bottle now and then for a particular occasion.

Pairing Food and Wine –You don't have to become an overnight expert, but it's definitely worth a little effort to learn some basics. We can get you started here.

A little practical knowledge goes a long way with wine and it’s perfectly fine to learn bit by bit. As we say around here, you don’t have to be an art historian to enjoy a masterpiece, you need not earn a music degree to dance, and you certainly don’t need to be a sommelier to appreciate a delicious glass of wine. So get to it already!

What’s your favorite wine tip? Be sure to email us and tell us all about it.