A few quick tips from your friendly wine specialist in training
Just some things I found helpful. I hope you do, too.
January marks month four of studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) certification exam. The 315 page CSW study guide (pictured above) is a permanent fixture on my dining room table except for when I lug it out to coffee shops and bars to break up my study routine. I have a binder full of maps of places I’ll probably never go, and I have flashcards on flashcards of vineyards that make wines more expensive than I will ever be able to afford.
To be frank, a lot of this information feels more trivial than useful. I want to write about the area I live in, and that is not part of the CSW curriculum. That said, I have learned a lot, and I’m really enjoying the process.
Because I have been focusing on this certification so much lately, this post is going to be a brief departure from my typical ramblings about Southeastern wine. Instead, I’m going to share some of what I’m learning, along with examples from my recent wine drinking. These are basic concepts that helped me level up from buying the same safe Cabernet to confidently trying new wines.
Buy wine from a wine shop
This is the most important advice I can give you. $15-$20 at a dedicated wine shop will get you a better quality wine than $15-$20 at the grocery store or liquor store every single time. I think people get intimidated by wine shops because they don’t want to sound dumb, but a wine shop employee’s whole job is helping people who know less about wine than them. They like talking about wine, and they are skilled at interpreting what people are looking for — even if you don’t use technical wine lingo.
All you need to do is give them a price range and a little direction. Good direction can be what you’re looking for (in specific or vague terms), what you’ve liked in the past, what you’re going to eat with the wine, or even what mood you are in.
If you feel judged or talked down to, that’s on them. Go to a different wine shop.
This is a bottle I brought home for Christmas this year to share with my family. I basically asked for something tasty and approachable but unique, and Appalachian Vintner had just stocked this Hungarian red blend that fit the bill perfectly.
Hot place vs. cold place
Whether the grapes are grown in a hot place or a cold place is one of the strongest indicators of what the wine is going to be like. Wines from hot places will be fuller bodied (feel heavier and thicker in your mouth) and have more alcohol. Wines from cold places will be more tart with less alcohol.
Here’s why: Hotter weather means grapes have longer to ripen, which means they will end up with more sugar. More sugar equals more food for yeast, which means the yeast will produce more alcohol. More alcohol makes the wine feel weightier. The opposite is true for cold places. Baby grapes have more acid, and the less time they have to ripen, the more acid they will have when they are picked.
(Caveat: This is for dry wines — meaning the yeast converts nearly 100% of the sugar into alcohol. Wines with some sugar left will also feel weightier and will, obviously, be sweet.)
How much acid and how much body/alcohol a wine has are two of the main factors I hear people talk about as determining factors in what they like (even if they aren’t using those words). Personally, I love high-acid, light-bodied wines. I’ll choose them almost every time. But I have plenty of friends who are the opposite. If you know where you fall on that spectrum, you can use the hot place vs. cold place principle as a starting point when picking out wine.
The primary way to distinguish a hot place vs. a cold place is, obviously, latitude. The closer to the equator, the hotter the place. There are often other factors at play, like altitude, proximity to oceans, and wind. But latitude should give you a pretty solid idea.
This is a very general rule. Some grapes, like Sauvignon Blanc, are naturally more acidic, even when grown in warm climates. But an acidic grape from a cool climate will be more acidic than the same grape from a warm climate.
Here are some common regions that are moderate-to-cool climates: Northern France, Northern Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Southern Chile, Coastal California, Washington, Oregon, South Africa
Here are some common regions that are warmer climates: Southern France, Spain, Southern Italy, Greece, Australia, Inland and Southern California
Since this is my Substack, I’ll add that, despite being in the South, Western North Carolina has a surprisingly cool climate. Despite being less than an hour east, the Yadkin Valley is much warmer. The elevation makes a big difference in the length of growing season and the taste of the wine.
Take a chance on the weird stuff
This is something I’ve learned both through my wine studies and from working in restaurants. Recognizable grapes and wine regions are in high demand, and their prices reflect that. If you don’t have a decent amount of money to drop on a bottle of Champagne, don’t buy Champagne. The same could be said for red Bordeaux and Burgundy.
There is a reason these regions have such strong reputations. The best wine I had all year was Champagne that cost upwards of $200. (I actually don’t know how much it was because I did not pay for it.) Fortunately there are plenty of really great wines in the $15-30 range that you’ll enjoy almost, if not just, as much.
To find these wines, check out lesser-known names. Good restaurants and wine shops do their best to carry a range of interesting, good-quality wines. But lesser-known grapes and regions are harder to sell, and they will often be priced accordingly. If you see something you’ve never heard of before, it might be a good option to try. Double check with the server or shop associate if you can, but curiosity and risk-taking can really pay off.
This is a bottle from the Mosel, one of Germany’s better-known wine regions. Most of the Mosel is famous for Riesling, but this is from a subregion that specializes in the lesser-known Elbling grape. Good Riesling can be pricey. This Elbling clocked in at around $18, and it was absolutely delightful.
On bubbles
Sparkling wine rocks. It pairs well with most food, it’s a crowd pleaser for parties, and it’s the best little treat you can give yourself on an otherwise boring Tuesday night.
There are three main ways to make sparkling wine, and each has a distinct flavor:
Champagne Method AKA Traditional Method - This is, obviously, how Champagne is made. To make a long method short, a critical part of the process is leaving the wine for a while in the bottle with “lees,” or dead yeast cells. This gives Champagne its classic “brioche” bready flavor. There are lots of wines made this way in other regions, including Cava. If you like the taste of Champagne, look for bottles labeled traditional method, méthode traditionnelle, Champagne method, Méthode Champenoise, or Crémant.
Charmat Method AKA Tank Method - Prosecco and tons of other sparkling wines are made this way. The wine does not spend time on the lees in this method, and the wines will usually have fruitier flavors (vs. yeasty, bready flavors) as a result.
Pétillant Naturel AKA Pét-Nat AKA Méthode Ancestrale - Pét-Nats are bottled just before all the sugar is gone. The yeast finishes the job in the bottle, leaving bubbles behind. If you’ve seen pét-nat wines before, you’ve probably noticed they are cloudier than most wines. They are fun and often a little funky because you can’t know for sure how that fermentation is going to go in the bottle.
Some people really love the yeasty/bready Champagne thing. Some really hate it. Prosecco and Pét-Nats can be similarly polarizing. I love them all, but I switch it up based on how I’m feeling. It’s all about knowing what you like (or what you want at that moment).
Decoding European wine labels
Google is your friend when it comes to wine, especially European wine. European wine labels often have a place name instead of a grape name on the label. So, if you try a wine that you love that is labeled by place, Google what grape it is and make a mental note for the future.
Here are a few common examples:
Red Bordeaux is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
White Bordeaux is Sauvignon Blanc
Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc
Red Burgundy is Pinot Noir
White Burgundy is Chardonnay
Red Rioja is Tempranillo
Chianti is Sangiovese
Barolo is Nebbiolo
This is a bottle of Chinon I enjoyed recently. Chinon is a region in the Loire Valley of France that makes wine from Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc is one of the vinifera grapes that grows relatively well in the Eastern US.
Food pairing basics
The simplest way to pair wine is to match flavors. Acidic foods, like pickles or barbecue with a tangy sauce, will go well with high-acid wine. Sweet foods go well with sweet wine. Big, bold wines go well with big, bold food — think steak and Cabernet Sauvignon. Intensely aromatic wines go with intensely flavored foods.
Sometimes the opposite also works. Lighter, acid-forward wines can pair with heavy foods because they are refreshing and help cut through the richness. High-acid wines actually go well with most food except sweets. Wines with a little sweetness can balance spicy food.
Wine should be fun
Finally, the most important tip I can give is to drink what you like. Wine is supposed to be fun. That’s why I like studying it.