Choosing from a wine list
Choosing wine in a restaurant can appear a bit daunting. Most people can confidently work their way around the food menu, but the wine list can be a different matter. It’s easy to rely on the ‘safe’ house wine, but you could be missing out on discovering some fantastic wine.
Top five tips
1. ‘You get what you pay for’
This is true to an extent, although you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get a good wine. If you want to keep the cost down, look out for South American wines which are more than reliable and can start for as little as £14 a bottle. Chile and Argentina have come a long way and are producing some delicious wines using all our favourite grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. And don’t miss Argentina’s Malbec - a rich, spicy, full-bodied red - it’s the perfect steak wine!
2. Red’s just not me!
We probably all have a colour preference - some people may drink nothing but white. But don’t be put off ordering, say, a red wine if it goes brilliantly with your peppered steak, as colour might be all a wine has in common. There’s no better example of how different red wines can be than by comparing the heavy tannic style of a red Bordeaux with the delicate, fresh Beaujolais Nouveau. The country in which the wine’s produced, the grape it’s been made with and the production techniques all play an important part in making a wine individual.
3. Just a glass then
If you’re not sure about trying a new wine, see if it’s available by the glass. Plenty of restaurants nowadays offer a good selection, so you won’t feel wasteful if it’s not the wine for you. It also allows you to try different wines with each course (as not many wines will go with all your three courses) and also allows your dinner partner(s) to make their own selection.
4. Food, set, match!
Wine is there to complement your food. Think about the style of your food and then choose a wine that complements its flavour, weight and texture. Is your meal heavy and rich or light and fresh in weight, is it sharp, spicy or sweet in flavour? Read more about matching wine with food.
5. Sommelier
The smartly dressed man hovering over you with his corkscrew is actually there to help. If you’re lucky enough to have an expert on hand, why not use him? Sommeliers are fully trained and know their stuff. Tell them what you’re planning to order and your budget and he will happily recommend the perfect bottle and no doubt tell you all about it!
