Wine is an absorbing hobby. The
vast range of wine styles, the many thousands of different
producers, the hundreds of different grape varieties, and the
differences apparent between each vintage and the next all
conspire to maintain the interest of even the most ardent geek.
But this complexity, which in truth keeps us all novices, can be
off-putting to the wine newbie.
Learn
About Wine: my
'introduction to wine course' with a difference, in blog format
Go into any decent-sized wine store and
you will encounter a bewildering array of wines to choose from.
If you are going to make anything other
than blind guesswork the basis of your buying strategy, then you'll need
some advice on where to start. But, in the world of wine there are many
potential sources of advice—it seems that just about everyone has an
opinion—and while many of these are reliable, some are not. Here, I
try to point you towards wise counsel, and throw in a few tips of my own.
Glossary
of wine words
Not as dull as it sounds: wine words explained simply, accurately
and in an entertaining fashion - a valuable resource for those
wanting to stretch their wine knowledge
Oak: the
inside track
Why are oak barrels so important for wine production? Find out
here...
All about
vintages The vintage date on a wine
bottle reminds us that wine is primarily an agricultural product,
made in the vineyard. This feature takes a sideways look at vintages
and why they matter so much.
Learning
to taste
You aren't born with a taste for fine wine. You need to train your
palate to get the most out of this hobby: here's why...
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