Best Red Wine

It’s not uncommon to hear the question “what is the best red wine?”

Slideshow:Types of Red Wine

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy a question to answer as it is to ask. It’s like asking what is the best spice out there … it really does depend, right? If you’re baking a cake your answer wouldn’t be garlic powder and if you were making a stew it probably wouldn’t be cinnamon. So the qualified answer would be “it depends.”

What exactly does it depend on? It might depend on your situation or circumstances in which you are asking for the best choice for red wine. Are you out to dinner? Are you buying a gift for someone’s 50th birthday? Is this going to be for a special dinner out, or for an inexpensive Tuesday dinner with your significant other? Obviously, it’s not a “one size fits all” sort of question and answer. So, let’s talk about different scenarios that would have a red wine that best fits your needs.

Many people who go out to eat for a special dinner are sometimes intimidated with wine list. Let’s face it, sometimes those things look like tomes that require hours of study to understand all it has to offer. Here is some advice:

• Select your food - Pick out your meal that you are going to order. After you figure out what you’re going to have for dinner, approach the wine list.
• Select your wine budget - Before you even open the first page, you need to decide what sort of spending cap you have. If you are looking for the best inexpensive red for under $40 a bottle, fine — you’ve narrowed down your choices already! If you are looking for more of a special occasion bottle and are willing to spend upwards of $100 you’ve still narrowed your choices down and became more specific with your search before ever looking at the first page of the wine list. This is helpful, especially with a wine list that is large and intimidating.
• Ask for help - Now, here is the last thing that is key when ordering wine off a restaurant wine list — ask to see the sommelier or wine steward.

Sommeliers and wine stewards are intimately familiar with the wine list and probably have tasted most of the wines (if not every wine) on the list. They know the flavors and what foods it will best pair with. So, if you have your meal and price-point chosen, you can make their job much easier. They can give you recommendations and help make your wine experience truly enjoyable. Some very good restaurants and sommeliers will even tell you if they recommend a bottle and you do not like it that they will take it back.

So, what about finding a great red wine for dinner at home on a Tuesday night? Well, you are probably not looking for a $500 bottle of first-growth Bordeaux, but you’re not quite ready to go buy some Almaden out of a jug either. Again, just like going to a restaurant, have a price point picked out in your head. This will narrow down your choices before stepping foot into the wine aisle. Just like the restaurant (seeing a pattern?), figure out what is for dinner and then narrow your wine choices down.

If you’re having salmon maybe a Pinot Noir is your best bet or for beef short ribs a hearty Cabernet is in order. Perhaps you’re looking for a sweeter red wine to pair with dessert or after dinner. Port or late harvest red wine might be right up your alley! You should also take advantage of the wine staff in the wine department. Chances are they’ve tried the wine or have heard feedback from customers who have bought it. Ask them for suggestions!

The popular question of all time seems to be “what is a great red wine to buy for someone.” It’s always best to find out as much information as you can about the person you’re attempting to buy wine for. If they like Cabernet, then obviously you’d want to get them a Cab. Instead of just buying an everyday sort of Cab, try to find one that is a little less available or not mass-produced. If you talk to the wine staff at your favorite wine store they can help you with this and find a special bottle. Keep in mind that less produced wines usually cost more money, so have a price limit in mind before you go out looking for that special red wine gift.

What is the best red wine? Again, it depends on the situation. Before you purchase the wine either at a store or at a restaurant be sure you have a price limit in mind. The more information you can give to the staff or sommelier the better your results will be. The better prepared and informed you are the better the chances of success! It’s only a matter of time until the best bottle of red wine for you will be in your hands! Cheers!

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