If the first sip of wine is difficult to swallow, chances are, you’ve picked a cheap one that’s not great. Wines are often considered a hit or miss, especially if you’re trying something new.
There are hundreds of wines to choose from and over 10,000 varieties of grapes to make wines from. In fact, new grapes are being developed to prepare wine from as well, like the Ambulo Blanc. However, with a bit of help from the pros, your bottle of wine can taste delicious in no time!
Serve it up with cheese
Who doesn’t love some cheese! It’s creamy and savory flavor work perfectly with wines and there are so many varieties to choose from, just like wine. The sharp flavor of the cheese will help mask any unsettling flavor in the wine and vice versa. Wine and cheese balance each other out to create a flavor symphony for your taste buds.
Serve up different cheeses on a cheeseboard so guests can find a flavor pairing they like.
Some fruit to add flavor
Have you had sangria before? Isn’t it just delectable? The fruits in the sangria help balance out the bitterness of the wine. Berries and pieces of fruit infuse their sweetness into the wine to make it easier on the palate. Adding fruit to wine also makes them visually appealing too.
Chill it in the refrigerator or add ice
The colder the wine, the more the flavors will be suppressed. Serving up chilled wine is ideal when its flavor is overpowering. You could also serve it up with ice to dilute the flavor a bit. Frozen grapes work perfectly to keep the drink cool, while adding sweetness. Cold wine is also much more refreshing, just like a chilled beer.
Red wines are generally served at room temperature, but when the wine doesn’t taste right, chilling it is your best option.
Aerate your wine
Aerating your wine is an excellent way to get rid of some of that graininess. The wine ‘breathes’ as a result and tastes better. When you see people swirling their glass before taking a sip of wine, they’re basically aerating it for optimum flavor.
To aerate a bottle of wine at home, open the bottle and let it sit a while before you serve it up to the guests. You can also decant it to aerate it instantly.
A spritzer is your friend
Adding some fizz to wine helps get rid of the excessively tart taste as well as some of the bitterness. While some wine snobs will shoot down the idea immediately, you need to try it! Top wine-producing countries like Spain add lemon and lime soda to wine to prepare their famous tinto de verano.
If you’re tired of picking the wrong wine every time, Artisan Excursion is your ticket to learning more about great tasting wine in Solvang. Located in the heart of the wine valley, this company provides Solvang wine tasting tours so that you find your favorite wine flavors and food pairings. They provide wine tastings, wine pairings, as well as a fabulous lunch to guests. Contact them at 805.734.7565 for more information about their services.