Additional tips for buying wine

Sometimes we get asked the question "How do you choose a wine when you go into the store?". There are a few criteria that we want to share that may help you out.

(1) The occasion for the wine. This is the most important - what is the reason behind your purchase. For example, we might be looking for a wine that we can chill down and sip while we are sitting out on the bench in our garden. Other times, we might be looking for a specific wine for a meal, a gift for a friend, or some wines from a good vintage that we want to hang on to for a while. Often, the weather helps with the decision too (warm & sunny weather sends us looking for a crispy Sauvignon Blanc, while a chilly, rainy day makes us crave a rich, bold, red wine).

(2) Okay, we figured out why we are buying wine which has steered us in a particular direction. The next thing choice is which grape varietal to select. Sometimes the occasion makes this decision for us: our friend that we're buying for might be a Chianti fan or loves California Cabernet. Those are the easy ones. If you are pairing the wine with a meal, then the choice becomes more complicated. We don't strictly adhere to the rule that you should just have white wine with white meats and red wine with red meats. In fact, the acidity of a riesling can really break up a steak or you may want a hearty red with roast chicken on cold winter's day. But there are a few general guidelines, such as you would probably want a minerally white with spicy food or shellfish, and for richer, heartier meals like stews or roasts, we go for a red wine.

(3) Region. We rank the region the wine comes from relatively highly because even after you've decided what type of wine you want (i.e. grape variety), it will likely taste different from one region to the next. So it depends on your preferred style. Referring back to our discussion of Australian Shiraz vs. California Syrah, you may like the more fruit forward style of Australia, so this will drive your choice. Once you decide what type of wine you want and the region, the next two criteria, winemaker and price, follow along naturally.

(4) The winemaker/producer is next. Because we've tried a lot of wines and do have our favorites, we may go into a store looking for a particular label because we've had experience with it and know we like it. With many winemakers/producers, you can find selections at almost any price range. Some of the bigger names have a first label and second label, or you can choose between estate/vineyard designated or something that reflects a series of different vineyards or regions. In general, you pay more for an estate grown or single vineyard designated wine. The caveat to that comes when dealing with blends. A producer may offer a designated Cabernet for one price and then charge a higher price for a blend that uses that Cabernet.

(5) Price. This can be tied into the occasion - if we are looking for a quaffing wine for the beach, we are hoping to not have to spend much money on it.

(6) Label/Shelf talker. If we are going to try something completely new, then any additional information on the label or shelf always helps.

So let's try it out the logic. It's a warm sunny day and we are looking for a wine to have once the landscape work is completed. The occasion is going to push us in a white wine direction, so we'll choose between Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or another white varietal. If we decide on the Sauvignon Blanc, we might look to California, South Africa, France, or New Zealand for our wine. Then we would narrow it down to who we like in the region and what the pricing and availability is. We have found many cases where two very similar wines have a price differential of $3 to $4.

We hope this helps you select your next bottle of wine.

Like what you drink, drink what you like!

Rachel and Bryan Gavini

Some simple tips on buying and storing wine

Happy sipping everyone! If you are like us, it's that momentous occasion when you finally buy your first case of wine. You are feeling "How am I ever going to drink this much wine - it's a lot of wine." You are probably right - it is a lot of wine, but it does a couple things for you. If you drink only those 12 bottles the entire year, then you have saved yourself between 10 and 20% on the purchase. That's a good reason enough. You also may get recognized by the store owner as someone who likes wine and then he/she may help you find other good gems in the store or other discounts when you return. It allows you to try a variety. If it's your first case, then consider getting 2 bottles of 6 different wines - maybe 3 reds and 3 whites. You'll be rewarded when a guest shows up and you have that extra bottle on hand. Any hey, many people buy beer in 6 packs, 12 packs, or 30 packs - so why not buy your wine that way.

Okay now on storage. You bought your first case and think you need a special place to store it; like a wine cellar. Nope! You can store the box with the wine on its side in a closet (our first case was stored in a box turned on its side in Rachel's hall closet in a non-air-conditioned apartment in Jamaica Plain, MA). The reality is direct sunlight and constant temperature changes are worse for wine than storing it at room temperature in your house. Most of the warehouses and trucks that wine is shipped in are not climate controlled except for the high end stuff. As novices, we kept a few bottles of a really good 1994 California Cabernet in a rack above our kitchen cabinets and moved them around over several years before drinking. They were coated with some grease and dust, but tasted fine when we finally had them. We don't recommend storing wine this way, but it does show that they are pretty resilient. One last note on storage - do store wine on its side in your house, it keeps the corks wet and expanded for a good seal. If they are screw tops, then it does not matter, but wine, like people, likes to sleep on its side rather than standing up.

Some key things to look at when buying wine - how old is it (vintage), varietal - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc., country of origin and producer. In some countries, the region may dictate the varietal such as Burgundy and in others you may find it difficult to find out; especially if it's a blend. We'll try to give this information, as much as it's available to us when we review wines for you.

Drink what you like, like what you drink!

Rachel and Bryan Gavini