Demystifying Wine: Tips To Make Buying Wine Accessible & Fun

As respected wine suppliers in Great Missenden, we believe that enjoying wine doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s there to enhance our food, share with family and friends, or just to chill out with on the sofa. Here are some tips to take the myths and mysteries out of buying wine so you can approach it with confidence, whatever the occasion!

Understand your preferences

If you are new to the world of wine, familiarise yourself with the basic wine types, because there is a marked contrast between the main categories of red, white, sparkling and rosé wine. It may be that you have a marked preference for velvety reds, crisp cool whites, or maybe you love all types of wine!

Experiment a little

Once you have found your favourite category of wine, try some affordable bottles with popular grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and so on. These will all have different flavour profiles and degrees of strength and complexity. You may prefer bold full-bodied wines, or light and crisp varieties. 

Look for independent retailers

Independent wine merchants will handpick the wines they sell personally, and may even travel to the country it was produced to taste wine from different vineyards and regions. This can lead to more interesting and varied choices, and often the wine will also be of better quality and at a more affordable price.

This is because supermarkets tend to focus on price and volume, so the wines they sell are often produced in industrial batches and may have lots of additives to increase the shelf life. With an independent retailer, you are much more likely to find wine that is made in smaller batches, and from less well-known regions and wineries that are hidden gems. 

Explore different wine regions

There are many wine regions of the world, and it can be overwhelming if you are just starting to explore the pleasures of wine drinking. However, as a general rule, wine produced in cooler climates such as Germany, England, and France will have a lighter and fresher taste and texture, because the grapes ripen more slowly and are more acidic.

Wines from warmer climates, such as South America, New Zealand and Australia tend to have sweeter and fuller bodied flavours, because the grapes ripen more quickly in the sunshine, and have a higher sugar content. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations

If you are buying from a specialty retailer, the staff will have years of experience and knowledge about their sector, and will be delighted to make recommendations and make suggestions that suit your taste and budget. They will also be able to discover excellent wines from smaller producers that don’t necessarily have large marketing budgets.