Give Comparative Wine Tasting a Try

Have you ever wondered how you can get better at tasting wine without having to break the bank to do so?

Try comparative wine tasting.

First, it’s a great way to start understanding more about subtle nuances in things like color, aromatics and of course, the flavors you discover when drinking the wine.

Second, you don’t have to be an expert in wine to begin your knowledge of the beverage in your glass. You just have to be willing to drink a lot of wine.

Kidding, but not exactly—as I learned this past weekend from someone who is very well versed in wine—you have to drink, or more specifically taste a lot of wine to really get to know the differences between various reds and whites.

But, it doesn’t have to be complicated or take a lot of money to do wine tastings. Our wine educator gave us a list of what two reds and what two whites to purchase. Mind you, not the specific brand or maker of the wine, but more specifically, a Pinot Grigio and an oaky Chardonnay for the whites and a Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds.

There were more details as for regions and for the Pinot Grigio she recommended we get one from Italy that she kindly described, “go cheap and cheerful.” And for the oaked Chardonnay she said if we were on a budget to get one from Chile or Argentina or if you have a little more cash to spend, try to get one like a white Burgundy.

For the reds, it was Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Oregon, New Zealand or Chile. And lastly, the Cabernet Sauvignon she recommended was from the Left Bank of Bordeux, or go with a Napa, Sonoma, Washington State, Argentina, South Africa or even a Coonawara Cab from Australia. The options were limitless and she gave details to help everyone select four wines within their budget.

Now, not everyone will be able to find a wine expert to lead them in a comparative tasting. But, I do recommend going to YouTube and searching for Wine Dine Caroline as she has so many great videos as well as resources on her website to help you discover wines. And I also advise going to Wine Folly’s website, type in Comparative Wine tasting and you will find some great tips to help you get started with your first one. I highly recommend it.

And make it fun by getting friends involved as well. Cheers!