We’ve all been there: you’re wandering the aisles of your favorite wine store debating what to bring to dinner, or struggling to find some bottles that you recognize. With literally hundreds – or even thousands – of bottles to choose from, this can be an overwhelming experience. To complicate things, most wine stores only post regional signage. So, if you don’t know the difference between Bordeaux, France and Central Otago, New Zealand, finding the right bottle can seem impossible. Consequently, many people are afraid to branch out and try new wines from places they aren’t familiar with.
Here’s a short list of questions you can ask yourself to help steer the conversation with your local wine steward or sales associate toward wines you will enjoy.
- Where is the Westmount? Come on, you had to see that coming. Westmount Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are a dynamic duo created to make your wine decision a heck of a lot easier. Whether you’re headed to a gourmet meal, or off on a weekend exploration, be sure to bring the Westmount.
- Body – Are you looking for a light, medium, or full-bodied wine? Whether red or white, this question will help narrow your search immediately. For example, if you’re looking for a light-bodied red, then it’s safe to eliminate Bordeaux and California Cabernet from your search. Likewise, white wines can range in body, with Chardonnays from California or Mersault being famously fuller-bodied, while Sauvignon Blancs from Sancerre or New Zealand are typically lighter-bodied. Quick tip: wines from warmer climates tend to be fuller-bodied, while cooler-climate wines tend to be lighter-bodied and more acidic.
- Acidity – Speaking of acidity, are you looking for a low, medium, or high acid wine? Acidity in wine is experienced through mouth-watering, and can also cause your cheeks to pucker a bit with each sip. With some people being especially sensitive to acid, and others seemingly unable to get enough of it, it’s another great way to narrow down your selection.
- Fruit vs. Earth/Other – Do you want a wine that is very fruity, or a wine that has other prominent flavors? As most people well know, fruit is often the primary flavor in a wine. That being said, whether you’re tasting raspberries or gooseberries, the fruit characteristics in some wines are more dominant than in others. In contrast, some wine drinkers prefer wines in which the fruit isn’t the star of the show. Whether it’s oaky, floral, savory, or earthy characteristics some find a more muted fruit profile to be more suitable. This is the final component to helping unlock the mysteries of your wine choices.
We hope that these are useful tools to make your trip to the wine shop more enjoyable. On your next visit, you can now confidently request a medium-bodied, medium acid red with plenty of fruit character. As a wise person once said – or maybe it was just someone who had too much wine – the best bottle is the one that’s open in front of you. Of course, this is doubly true if that bottle happens to be Westmount. #ExploreWesmount #ThePinotThatPairsWithAdventure