Wine Writing Team on August 21, 2020 0 Comments Life is full of great debates that can often get heated. Hamburger or hot dog? Chocolate or vanilla? Toilet paper over or under? Christmas music before or after Thanksgiving? Wine or beer? If the instant response that came to mind to that last question was, “I’m more of a beer person,” do you know why you don’t consider yourself a wine person? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with not being a wine person, but if you want to like wine and want help figuring out why you don’t like it yet, consider this: you might think you don’t like wine, but maybe it’s because you haven’t had the right wine. 1. You haven’t found your personal preference All you have to do is stand in the aisle at the grocery store to see that there are many different wine varietals available, but if you don’t normally drink wine, you may not have ever had any reason to walk down the wine aisle and notice the plethora of options. If you don’t normally seek wine out, then you’ve probably only tried whatever was served to you. For example, if you were at a dinner party and someone served a dry red wine that tasted sharp and vinegary, you might prefer a sweeter red wine that has a subtle berry flavor. The best way to know which type of variety you like is to go wine tasting and learn about the common traits and flavors of different types of wine. There are even virtual wine tastings that you can sign up for if you feel more comfortable learning from the comfort of your home. 2. You haven’t tried good wine Sometimes, the adage “you get what you pay for” rings true. The tasting quality of wine is something that you learn to recognize as you try more and more wine. There are some things to consider between massed produced wine and boutique wine that affect the quality and price. Where and how the grapes are grown, the type of equipment used, and how long the wine is stored are all factors that come into play when it comes to the tasting quality. That being said, not all inexpensive wine tastes bad and not all expensive wine necessarily tastes good. It all comes down to your personal preferences, but you may not like wine because you haven’t tried the good stuff. 3. You tried wine that was stored wrong Wine storage is also extremely important to the tasting quality of wine. You may think you don’t like wine because you were served wine that was spoiled as a result of being stored improperly. There are many do’s and don’ts of wine storage to consider, but the main things are: Store wine in a dark place. UV rays from direct sunlight can damage wine’s flavors and aromas. Check humidity levels. Lower humidity levels cause corks to dry out and leave the wine vulnerable to the effects of oxygen. Keep the wine cool. Temperature is probably the most important factor when it comes to storing wine. Generally, the ideal temperature for both long-term and short-term wine storage is around 53 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Red wines and white wines each have their own temperature rules, but the main thing to remember is that wine should be kept at a constant temperature because fluctuating temperatures can negatively impact the aging and chemical processes in the wine. All of these storage and temperature rules can be easily managed with a dual zone wine cooler. Everyone has their own personal taste preferences, so before you decide you don’t like any wine, challenge your taste buds to try a few new types of wine and you might be surprised you find one you do like.
