Your local Gold Coast bottle shop staff will be more than happy to try and steer you in the right direction, but if you want to be able to make this decision on your own in the future you’re going to need a few pointers.
Here are five simple steps to help you choose the perfect wine at the bottle shop every time.
Step one – Know what you’re having for dinner.
The wine you buy should compliment the food you will be eating with it. Your wine should be selected based on both the texture and the weight of your meal. A heavy pasta dish will need a more vibrant wine to match the strong flavours whereas a subtle wine should accompany a lightly seasoned meal. Likewise, a spicy meal should be paired with a sweet wine to mix nicely with the flavours on your plate.
Step two – Research before you get to the bottle shop.
Once you know what type of food you will be eating, jump online and research your wine. Make sure it’s available at your local bottle shop on the Gold Coast. Read its reviews; think about its flavours and weight. Look at other wines and think about what they would taste when paired with the meal. Every time you do this step it will be faster and faster, eventually becoming unnecessary, but don’t be put off by the vast world of wine. Keep at it and you will look less like a deer caught in headlights with every trip to the bottle shop.
Step three – Make a wine journal.
Everyone has different tastebuds and will favour different wines. Get to know your tastebuds by writing down the winery your bottle came from (including its country of origin) and what variety it is. Make a note of what meal you were eating at the time as well; this will help you to make comments about pairings you might like to try in the future. Then note down any flavours that you found strong or hidden, and flavours that were exposed at different stages of the meal. Make note of your favourites, and try these with different meal pairings to see how they compare. Take it with you to your bottle shop when choosing your next wine, it can be easy to double up when you’ve started to taste a few.
Step four – You’re going to need to ask someone.
Gold Coast’s bottle shops are filled with people who love to talk about all kinds of alcohol, including wine. A visit to a bottle shop that specialises in wine may help you to get more insight about the wine that they stock, along with pairings that they might recommend. Expand your universe by joining it with another wine lovers universe and see where there preferences will take you.
Step five – Recommendations and ratings are there for a reason – use them.
If your Gold Coast bottle shop has wine ratings on their shelves, look at them. A rating of 90 or more means that particular wine is excellent. You can also view more wine ratings in publications like Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate, but talking to someone directly about their wine experiences is the second best way to get a taste for the fullness and body of each bottle (other than tasting it yourself).
Follow these five steps and you will be able to visit your local Gold Coast bottle shop with ease, selecting a wine in a matter of moments (if you can stop yourself from inspecting the new imports).
If we missed a step, or you know of a great wine resource, let us know below in the comments!
Accompany your wine with some tasty snacks. Get some helpful recipes here:
