In my glasses above (left to right) are: Turdo Vineyards 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, William Heritage Winery 2022 Dry Rose, and White Horse Winery 2021 Albarino.
When someone asks me, “What is your favorite wine?” I can’t give a simple answer. There are so many variables. I will give you examples of some of these. Knowing what you like (or don’t like) is very useful in trying new wines. Answering a few simple questions can make buying or trying a new wine a lot easier. For instance: What is your price range? Do you like dry wines or sweet wines? Red or white wines? My mission here is not to change your taste, but to help clarify what you like and why, which in turn may result in trying a few similar wine styles. Who knows-you may even find a new favorite. Today, I will touch on just a few of the many factors that you should think about: price, sweetness, color, acidity, body, tannins, and oak.
How much can I afford to spend?
First, you need to know your price range. If you can’t afford a wine, it doesn’t matter if you would love it or not. Though we all buy wines for “special occasions,” these are not typical purchases. The good news is you can purchase a good wine in the $10-$20 range and a very good or even an excellent wine in the $20-$30 range. Furthermore, spending more than this amount does not guarantee that you will get a better wine.
Once you come up with a price range that you are comfortable with, you can think about your taste buds. Here are a few questions to ask:
Red, White, or Rose?
I enjoy all three, but some folks are locked in to only one or never red or never white. All three can be wonderful, so I encourage everyone to be open to enjoying each for what they have to offer. If you are a white wine drinker and won’t drink red wine, may I ask why? I ask to see if it is due to oak aging (many are, but some are not) or tannins (red wines tend to have more tannins than white wines). What are tannins? They come from the skins and seeds (and to a lesser extent, oak barrels) and they result in an astringent taste on the back of your tongue. They also add to a wine’s structure, complexity, and durability. But not all reds are high in tannins (think Pinot Noir or Beaujolais). Reds tend to be drier, have less sugars, and fewer calories. They also have more antioxidants and resveratrol (heart healthy ingredient). Again, I encourage you to enjoy both. My suggestion for those shunning red wines: try Pinot Noir. Maybe even a white Pinot Noir (Beneduce Vineyards makes a great one called Tuxedo). It’s a great transition from whites to reds. Rose is also an excellent compromise. We have many great Roses produced right here in New Jersey.
Dry or Sweet?
Do you prefer dry or sweet wines? When I was young, I couldn’t afford a good dry wine. But I also didn’t have exposure to many wines. The closest thing to that was a special occasion at an Italian restaurant, where they had red and white tablecloths and the obligatory bottle of Chianti (when they used to use straw around the bottle to look like “a classy, authentic” bottle). Otherwise, it might have been a bottle of Lambrusco. We won’t even talk about the sweet wines I consumed at college (along with some lousy beer at Frat parties, etc.).
Sweet wines tend to be much less expensive and can be enjoyable with dessert (or as dessert). I still like them at times (a good Port-style wine or Sherry with a piece of chocolate), but I need to watch my sugar intake and I prefer dry wines with most meals these days. Obviously, sweet wines are higher in sugar, higher in calories, and don’t complement most foods as well as dry wines. Still, I know I usually write about dry wines here and I should give a couple of sweet wines some love. Like the Bellview Port-style wine and Sharrott Winery Just Peachy Sangria below. Both are terrific.
Oaked or Unoaked?
For me, the two options are not an either/or choice. I generally prefer oaked Chardonnays (especially without food), but may prefer an unoaked Chardonnay with some meals, allowing the fruit to compliment the meal. But today, oaked wines are not as oaky as they were a decade or two ago. Tastes change. Also there are many unoaked Chardonnays that I like more than some oaked Chards. Other white wines are generally less likely to be oaked.
Light or more Full-Bodied?
Again, I like the entire range, when well done. Some white wine lovers don’t like red wines because they perceive them as all being full-bodied, like Cabernet Sauvignon. Not true. Many reds are lighter, like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais (and even taste better when chilled a little). Besides, you might want to think about seasons. “A time to…” enjoy a lighter wine (summer perhaps) or a more full-bodied wine (perhaps cooler weather). Think about beer. Stouts tend to be much more popular in colder weather because they tend to be more full-bodied and darker. Of course the body of wines run the gamut from light to full-bodied and everything in between.
Low Acidity or High Acidity?
If you like that refreshing zing on your tongue, you may like a wine with high acidity (perhaps a Riesling). Crisp acidity is an important factor in whether or not a wine is food-friendly. Riesling is one of the most food friendly white wines, while Pinot Noir is one of the most food-friendly reds. But every wine has acidity. It’s a matter of degree. Too little and the wine tastes flat. Too much and it is bracing and hard to drink. Balance is the key. Even a dry Riesling is not usually bone dry. Some sweetness may be necessary to balance the high acidity.
I do not have any New Jersey Rieslings right now, but if you are ever in the Finger Lakes, they make some fine Rieslings, like the Ravines 2019 Dry Riesling above left. Beneduce Vineyards and Unionville Vineyards make wonderful Rieslings. Pinot Noir is a great wine and New Jersey makes a few terrific versions, like the Unionville Vineyards 2021 Pinot Noir Reserve above. Beneduce Vineyards and Turdo Vineyards also make great Pinot Noir.
My suggestion: Get a journal or notebook and whenever you try a new wine, write down what you like or don’t like about it. You will pick more wines that you like in the future and be less disappointed by ones that just don’t hit you right. You will learn about yourself and wine in the process.
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