How to Select the Perfect Wine
Directions
It’s dinner with the gang. Everyone knows you like wine. You even know a little about it. So naturally they’re going to hurl the wine list at you and get you to order for the table.
Gulp.
Wine-Wise in 5: How to select the perfect wine
Ask the sommelier.
This isn’t copping out. He or she has tasted more wines that you ever will. (And here’s the secret: they spit it all out - which is why they can actually remember them all.) Job done. Get back to telling that story about you and the Prince of Thailand
OK, there’s no sommelier. So, to do this, you’ll need to ask some questions
Who wants red and who wants white?
It seems incredibly basic, but most people have a distinct preference for one over the other. And even though you understand the wisdom in matching red wine for meat and white wine for fish, personal preference always has the final say. Suspend your judgement.
What’s everybody eating?
NOT. If you are selecting wine for a bunch of people, and you’re not a sommelier, don’t ask this question. It’s better to steer your course through the middle ground. Consider mid-weight, food-friendly wines like Pinot Gris, Marsanne or Chardonnay for the white wine drinkers; or Zinfandel, Tempranillo, or a Bordeaux blend for the red lovers.
Any vegetarians or vegans in the group?
It’s often not well understood, but some of the processes for clarifying wines involve the use of animal products such as gelatin or isinglass (forms of collagen derived from animals and fish) - or egg whites. The good news is that, since 2012, Grange (and a whole lot of other Penfolds wines) have been vegan friendly. Which only begs the final question…