Shop for Wine Like a Pro

By Stacey Metulynsky, co-host of This Food That Wine

Let’s face it, wine is just fermented grape juice (well, very tasty grape juice), so it shouldn’t be hard to shop for, right? But lots of people get intimidated just walking into a store and seeing hundreds (even thousands) of bottles staring at them. Should you go white or red, Australian or American, still or sparkling… And what exactly is Pouilly-Fuissé? Well, ponder no longer! Here’s your ultimate wine shopping guide. Read it, memorize it, and then hit the wine shop!

Ask for Help
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, ask for help. A good store has staff trained to know about the products they sell and should be able to help you out, and if yours doesn’t, find yourself a new wine store.

Learn to Read the Labels
Wine labels can be tricky to understand, but if you are familiar with the basic terms, wine shopping will be a lot easier. Luckily, you can read more on how to decipher wine labels here.

Know Your Budget
Wine shopping can get very expensive if you don’t have a budget (trust me on this one). So have a dollar figure in mind before you set foot in the store. This applies whether you just want to pick up a bottle as a hostess gift on the way to a dinner party, or you’re stocking up for the month.

Don’t Assume Expensive Equals Better
Sometimes you just might find your new favourite wine in the bargain bin. Seriously. This tip ties back to tip #1–ask for help. If you can muster up the courage to ask for help, you might find out about a hidden gem, something unknown that that costs $15 but tastes like $40. Wine pricing varies so widely that it’s almost impossible to rate the quality of a wine solely on price. Having said that, try going a bit more expensive now and then. You’d be amazed at the difference between most wines priced at say ten dollars and at twenty dollars.

Read Up
There are all sorts of resources out there to help you figure out what you want before you get to the store. Search online for the perfect wine pairing for the meal you’re cooking up. Check out reviews or subscribe to wine newsletters. These are easy ways to find out about what others think of the quality and flavour of wines currently on the shelf. Then call ahead or check your local store’s web site to make sure the wine you want is in stock.

Experiment
The best way to learn about wine is to taste. So if you’re wine shopping and a bit confused, why not pick up a couple bottles and experiment? Whether you love it, hate it, or aren’t sure, you’re likely to remember something you’ve tasted already for the next time you’re out wine shopping. But please oh please, if you are trying out this suggestion, use it in conjunction with tip #3–know your budget!