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The Chianti area has been one of the most important wine producing regions in Italy for over two centuries. It was the family of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Lopold I that began cultivating grapes during the 18^th and 19^th centuries in the region that would become modern Chianti.

The Chiantigiana (SR 222) is one of the most scenic and charming motoring routes in Italy, running directly south from Florence to Sienna cutting through the heart of the Chianti Classico wine zone. The road sweeps around rolling Tuscan hills and past thousands of hectares of vineyards, all producing outstanding Chianti Classico DOCG (the highest classification of Chianti).

The best time of year to visit Tuscany (Toscana) is at harvest time in September, or just before harvest to see the vines bowing heavily with ripening Sangiovese grapes. During September most towns in Chianti celebrate the Sangiovese harvest with wine festivals such as the Vino al Vino held on the third week in September (17-19) in the small town of Panzano in Chianti, where many local wines can be sampled by the glass.

For a truly inspiring tour along Chiantigiana road, make time to visit some of the ancient towns of Chianti and surrounding vineyards. Most vineyards are open to the public, but it’s worth checking before you visit.

Greve in Chianti

Greve is a principle market town 31km south of Florence (Firenze).  During the second week of September, the Rassegna del Chianti Classico festival takes place in Greve.

Feste dell’uva
This is a wonderful festival held in the pretty village of Vagliagli. There will be a parade and dancing, lots to eat and drink

The Chianti Classico wine festival is also recommended and takes place between the 10 – 12 September.

Radda

Radda in Chianti is principle market town in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 35 km southeast of Florence and about 15 km north of Siena.

Gaiole

Gaiole in Chianti is principle market town in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 40 km southeast of Florence and about 15 km northeast of Siena. Forbes magazine named it number one in its list of “Europe’s Most Idyllic Places To Live.”

Whilst here, visit the Brolio winery. You can book wine tastings for small or large groups at the Brolio wine shop and learn about the Chianti Classico area through its most representative wines.

Panzano

A small town with Etruscan origins, Panzano is situated on the Chiantigiana road between Castellina and Greve. The piazza is charming and a perfect place to sip a Prosseco.

The Vino al Vino wine festival takes place between the 17 – 19 September and there are a couple of winereies well worth a visit including Le Fonti and Fattoria Montagliari. The later has a fantastic restaurant with genuine Tuscan cooking and breath-taking views over the Greve valley.

Castellina

Castellina  plays host to The Grape and Wine Festival during the third week of September.  A visit to the Villa Trasqua winery can be arranged wth a guided cellar tour and tasting session for 20 euros

Tuscan Villas in Chianti wine region

To make the most of the region’s excellent wine and local ingredients, it is recommend that you hire a villa. You have the freedom to cook up tasty Italian treats and relax on a veranda sipping local wine admitting the Tuscan countryside.

Villa Bernardi in Panzano in Chianti is a beautiful and spacious Tuscan farmhouse property situated on a hillside outside of the village of Panzano. The property dates back to the 11th Century and has been restored carefully to retain its original features and character. Laid out over 4 levels, this property is ideal for family groups with plenty of space to gather. The saltwater swimming pool is reached by a stone path across the lawn and enjoys views across the Chianti countryside. Sleeps up to 10 people and costs from £6552 per week

Or if there is just two of you, then the Panorama at Cornino in Castellina in Chianti is ideal. A spacious villa in the Hamlet of Cornino overlooking the Chianti hills, Panorama provides a peaceful retreat close to the town of Castellina. This beautifully restored property is surrounded by olive groves and unforgettable views. The property sleeps 3 people and costs from £546 per week.

To Tuscany has a wide choice of villas in Italy to choose from throughout the Tuscan wine regions. Visit www.to-tuscany.com to see a selection of properties and check availability.

There are a lot of different ways to share your love of wine with the special people in your life, such as dinners, wine of the month clubs, or trips to vineyards.  However, one way to show your family in friends that you appreciate wine, and that you know they do too, is to send them a wine gift basket.

A Great Alternative

While a fan of wine of the month clubs, a wine gift basket serves as a nice alternative for those looking for a wine gift without a recurring monthly cost.  Also, many gift baskets feature food such as chocolate or cheese that has been specially selected to pair with the wine in the basket, great for the recipient as it gives them to enjoy with the wine that they know will pair well with it.

A Nice Introduction

For your friends that are just getting into wine, there are many inexpensive options out there to introduce them to new wines while avoiding either you or them having to invest heavily in a trip to the wine store, a vineyard, or signing up for the more elaborate wine of the month clubs, which can be very pricey.

Something for Everybody

While there are certainly wine gift baskets that reach a price tag of more than $150, there are just as many quality baskets that can be had for under $40.  No matter what your price range is for gift giving, you can find a wine gift basket to suit your pocketbook.

Always in Season

Wine is always in season, and is a great gift for any season.  Birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s day, Mother’s day – it’s all a great reason to give the gift of wine.  If the person you’re giving it too appreciates wine, it won’t really matter what the holiday is, of even if there is a holiday.

No matter your reason for sending it, a wine gift basket is a great way to let the people in your life know that you appreciate your shared love of wine.  There are plenty of great places to get a basket to fit your budget, so why not go show somebody that you’re thinking of them?

There are a lot of different tools and accessories available to increase your wine enjoying experience, and while it’s impossible to have all of them, here are ten wine accessories that I think everybody should have.

A Good Solid Corkscrew

Corkscrews can come in a variety of styles, designs, and sizes. Whether you’re a fan of the small hand corkscrew like those used by waiters and bartenders at restaurants or want something larger that sits on your counter, a reliable corkscrew is the first tool that every wine lover should have. I quality corkscrew can make opening bottles of wine easier, and help prevent you from shredding the cork into the wine.

If you want a counter-top corkscrew, make sure it has some weight to it – that means pass on those little plastic ones with the suction cup bases. Something with a solid wood or metal base and a good metal arm is a must. If you prefer a smaller corkscrew, I like one where the actual corkscrew part is long and narrow, and with two leverage points for removing the cork, requiring less energy. If you’re really unsure, find a waiter or bartender you trust and ask them what kind of corkscrew they have.

Set of 8 General Purpose Wine Glasses

Lots of wine experts will say that you should have separate glasses for red and white wine, and some will even go so far as to say that different varietals should have their own glasses. While it’s all well and good to have a variety of wine glasses, with the exception of your more fancy dinners and parties what you need is a set of good all around wine glasses.

An all around wine glass should have an opening and bowl large enough to accommodate red wine without being too large for white wine. This is the kind of glass that you see at some of your more “casual plus” restaurants – they either don’t have the budget or the space or the wine selection to justify carrying different wine glasses for red and white wine, and thus carry one that will accommodate both.

A set of eight means you’re ready for you, your significant other, a couple of dinner guests, or a small dinner party. Also, it means that if you break one or two you’re not stuck with a useless set. Your all around wine glasses shouldn’t cost more than about $5 to $10, that way if you do break them you’re not out a lot of money. Remember, these will be the glasses that you use after coming home from a long day at work and open up that table wine that isn’t fancy, but that you love to drink with everything.

A Small to Medium Wine Fridge

Keeping your wine at a consistent temperature is important to not only ensuring that it ages properly, but also to making sure that it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to enjoy it. While we’d all love to have a wine fridge that can support hundreds of bottles of wine, realistically, most of us only need one that will hold around 20 bottles at any given time.

As wine has grown in popularity more and more wine refrigerators have become available with a variety of options. Depending on the size you decide on, a respectable wine refrigerator will cost you between $100 and $200. More expensive fridges will have space for more wine and options like dual zone control, allowing you to store both red and white in them. Personally, I keep my whites in mine during the summer as I drink them more then, and during the cooler months I adjust the temperature and keep several reds in there as I do not have a dual zone wine fridge.

Wine Chiller/Ice Bucket

Sure, you’ve kept your wine chilled in either a proper wine fridge or your actual refrigerator, but what about after you’ve opened the bottle and are enjoying the wine? If you’ve ever been to a good quality restaurant and ordered a bottle of white, they probably brought it out in either a marble or metal tube that had been kept in their freezer. Keeping the wine in there when not pouring will ensure that it doesn’t get warm while you’re eating, drinking, and enjoying the company of another person or a group.

In the absence of either a metal or marble wine chiller, a nice ice bucket is a good way to keep your wine chilled while you enjoy it. Simply put the wine in, place some ice and add a bit of water to give it a nice ice bath to preserve the temperature while you’re drinking it. Many stores sell an electric wine chiller for a single bottle, and while these are nice, they are often extremely expensive and aren’t nearly as effective as chilling the bottle ahead of time and then preserving the temperature with an ice bucket or metal/marble chiller. They are good for bringing a bottle of red down a few degrees, but you’re better off just getting a wine fridge for that purpose when it comes down to it.

A Quality Foil Cutter

Sure, a lot of wine bottles are moving towards screw-cap, and many others are starting to add little pull tabs that make it easy to remove the foil cap. All of that being said, there are still far more wines that are still wrapping theirs in foil without any means to remove it. While any corkscrew will come with a knife to remove this, there is also the danger of cutting yourself with the knife.

Foil cutters can be found either by themselves or in wine accessory packages. You simply place them over the top of the wine bottle, apply pressure, and rotate them, cutting a circle around the top of the foil that can then be removed to provide access to the cork. What’s nice about a foil cutter is that they provide a clean cut, remove any danger to yourself, and won’t shred the foil into little bits that can find their way into the wine if you’re not careful. At only a few dollars at an wine shop, there’s no reason not to have one of these stored next to your corkscrew.

Drip Collar

Most of us have had the experience of pouring a glass of wine, and then having to catch the drip that starts a race down the side of the bottle. A wine drip collar is a great way to avoid wine drops making their way down a bottle to come to rest on your counter, floor, or carpeting. A simple piece of metal with a felt lining is simply placed around the neck of the bottle and held in place by your hand while you pour. Any wine that drips over is just absorbed into the felt instead of staining a surface in your home.

For around $10 you can rest easy knowing that you won’t be damaging any surface in your home, and isn’t $10 better than having to replace a piece of carpet?

Decanter

A decanter serves a couple of functions for your wine. It helps to aerate the wine, allowing the flavors and aromas to open up and it helps to serve as a pitcher for serving the wine. Decanters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Pricing varies depending on the size, design, what it’s made of, and quite frankly, where you buy it from.

Allowing your wine to sit in a decanter for 15 to 30 minutes after opening is great for opening up your wine and ensuring that you get the most out of your wine. A decanter can turn a $10 wine into a $20 wine just by allowing all the flavors to be presented. You can find a serviceable decanter starting at about $20, but they do go upwards of $80 to $100 for more elaborate decanters made out of more expensive materials.

Aerator

Decanting your wine is great, but what if you’re not going to drink the entire bottle? What if you’re drinking for a larger bottle like a magnum or from a box? If a decanter isn’t a viable option, but you still want to improve the flavor and aroma of your wine, an aerator is a great way to do this. These come in a variety of options, with some being placed in the glass after the wine has been poured to force air into the wine, and others having the wine poured through them to allow wine in faster. Either way, this allows you to essentially decant wine on a glass by glass basis, which is great for those that don’t drink wine a bottle at a time.

An aerator can cost you almost as much as a decanter, but it’s a must have if you don’t already have a decanter as it gives you the benefits of one without having to do a bottle at a time and then store a large glass vessel.

Vacuum Seal Corks

Not all of us enjoy wine by the bottle. Some do still enjoy it by the glass, and there’s nothing wrong with that. To help prolong the life of your bottle, vacuum seal corks are a must have. There are various versions available, but they all do the same thing – remove excess air from the bottle to help preserve the wine.

A set including a couple of corks and the pump will run you between $10 and $15, but not having to worry about your wine turning on you before you finish the bottle is something you can’t put money on.

Wine Rack

Keeping your wine in a wine fridge is great, but if you’re anything like me, your supply of wine far exceeds what a wine fridge is going to support. A wine rack is perfect for keeping your wine organized, out of direct sunlight, and in the proper position to keep the cork from drying out and crumbling into the wine itself.

Wine racks come in too many varieties to discuss here, so finding a wine rack that’s right for you is as simple as deciding how big of one you need and what you want it to look like. Most of your local home furnishing retailers will carry a wide selection of wine racks, so the only thing stopping you from getting it is going out and actually purchasing one.

Not All There Is

This is certainly not all of the wine accessories that are out there, just some of my favorite ones that I think would serve every wine lover to own. Any of these can be found in your local wine shops, home retailers, or online at stores like Amazon.com .

About the Author

George R Perry is the writer of The Good Wine Guru, a site providing wine reviews, wine articles, and suggested wine products. The Good Wine Guru can be found online at: TheGoodWineGuru.com .

The 100 point rating system was created Robert M. Parker, Jr. some 30 years ago as a way of helping wine buyers decide which wines were the best while avoiding those that just didn’t measure up.  The ratings run from 50 points to 100, with anything above 90 being considered an excellent buy.  While I certainly applaud Mr. Parker’s efforts, I feel as though he’s missed the point of it all.  Now, I will admit that even he will tell his readers to look at more than just the rating of a wine before they buy it, but let’s be honest, what’s the point of having a rating system like that if you’re not planning on having people shop for wine using it as a guide.

When I first got into reviewing wines, I debated the use of a rating system.  I thought about using the 100 point system, but not beholding myself to the Parker ratings (if there were any), but quickly dismissed the idea.  I settled in, for a time, with a 5 star system, with ratings going for zero stars to 5 stars, with varying spots in between (think Star Search with a 3.75 star rating).  For a time this worked for me, but I still felt as though it limited me.

Eventually I abandoned a rating system all together, favoring instead a system where I wrote out my opinions and then simply recommended whether or not I thought people should buy the wine I was reviewing.  I find this method preferable for a couple of reasons.  First, it lets me review the wine both coldly and passionately.  By that I mean that I essentially offer two reviews of a wine – the first being the bread and butter of the wine:  what were the aromas, the flavors, the color, etc.  The second review being my recommendation.  What, if anything, did I pair this wine with?  Did it get better as I drank it?  Was there anything about the wine I didn’t like?  Would I buy it again?  None of those things can be answered by a numeric value slapped on a card placed next to a bottle of a shelf.

There are two fundamental flaws in the Parker method of reviewing wines.  The first is that wine tasting is subjective, and placing a numeric value on anything immediately makes it objective.  I may taste a Riesling that is nothing short of amazing, but if I’m not into Riesling, I’m not going to give that wine a good rating.  Robert Parker is known for being more inclined towards French wine, particularly Bordeaux, and has stated that he rates wines based on how much pleasure they give him, so logic would dictate that it would be unlikely for him to give a Australian Sauvignon Blanc a better rating than a French Bordeaux. 

The second flaw in the Parker rating system is that not every wine is rated.  Wines have to submit themselves to be rated, and more and more of them are deciding to cater themselves to their consumers as opposed to a critic that may or may not give them favorable wine reviews and ratings.  This means that many wines are passed over at stores simply because they don’t have ratings.  That doesn’t mean that they’re bad wines, on the contrary many of them are amazing, but they have decided not to submit themselves to ratings by critics and have instead decided to let real consumers be their critics.

I realize that there is no perfect way to review wine, partially because it is such a subjective thing.  Reviewing wine is no different than being an art critic – what one critic says is crap is haled by the next as brilliant and life-altering.  The only way to know your thoughts on the art (or wine in this case) is to experience it for yourself.  Wine reviewers such as myself are, at the end of the day, just offering our opinions.  The best advice I can give anybody considering whether to try a bottle of wine is to check out some wine reviews, and then buy the bottle.  Worst case scenario is that you’re out a bit of money.  Best case, you’ve found an amazing bottle of wine that you’ll continue to buy for years to come. 

About the Author

George R Perry is the author of The Good Wine Guru, a website featuring wine reviews, wine articles, and suggested wine products.  The Good Wine Guru can be found online at:  http://www.thegoodwineguru.com .

Wine of the month clubs come in various shapes, sizes, and prices, and because of that they can be a bit daunting.  With that in mind, here’s my thoughts on one wine of the month club in particular:  The International Wine of the Month Club.

Started in 1994, The International Wine of the Month Club uses a 12-person panel headed by educator and industry expoert Don Lahey to ensure that all of the wine they select for their members is of the highest quality.  With memberships that range from 2-12 months at a time, The International Wine of the Month Club, unlike some other clubs that focus on one or two specific areas, offers wine from all over the globe.  From the classic wine making regions like France, Spain, and Italy, to the newer regions of California, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and others, you’re not locked into a specific region or type of wine with this club, making it perfect for those looking to branch out into new wines and new regions.

The International Wine of the Month Club offers three levels to fit varying tastes and budgets.  Those levels are:

Premier Series – $29.95 + s&h

Masters Series – $45.95 + s&h

• one bottle from the Premier series level.
• one bottle from the Collectors series level.
• members may choose two reds or one red and one white.

Collectors Series - $65.95 + s&h

• selected wines retail in the $30-$60 range.
• members may choose from two reds or one red and one white.

Given the range of options offered by the International Wine of the Month Club, I really do recommend this wine club for anybody looking to branch out into new wines and new regions.  With levels that can appeal to every taste and every budget, the International Wine of the Month Club has something for everybody.  

For more information or to sign up for a membership, visit the International Wine of the Month Club at:  http://www.winemonthclub.com or call them toll-free at (800) 625-8238.

Eat Before You Go to the Festival

You’re going to be drinking wine all day, and take it from my own personal experience, that mixing differing wines is bad enough, but doing it on an empty stomach is just asking for trouble. Eat something before you leave that will help to counter the effects of the alcohol on you so that you can spend more time enjoying yourself at the festival.

Eat During the Festival

Most wine festivals I’ve attended have some kind of food available. It may be little more than snacks to help clear the palate, or it may be vendors offering everything from burgers and fries to more elaborate food. Whatever it is, make a point of having some food during the event, especially if you’re going to be there for a while.

Go With Friends

Not only does this give you somebody to compare thoughts on wine with, it also gives you a person to let you know if you’re maybe enjoying the festival too much. We all think we know our limits, but having somebody there to let yo know it’s time to head home is always helpful. Also, carpooling to the festival together is a great way to save on gas and parking.

If Possible, Avoid Driving to the Event

Get a cab, take public transportation, have somebody drop you off and pick you up later, anything to avoid having to drive back home after you’ve spent hours drinking wine at the festival. Spending some money on a hotel room near the festival is far preferable to getting a DUI. If the festival is in a larger city, spend some time walking around the city, get some dinner, whatever you need to do until it’s safe to drive your car. Better to waste the rest of your day than spend a night in jail.

Don’t Attempt to Try All the Wine

If the event is more than one day, this should be self-explanatory. However, if the festival is only one day (or if you’re only attending one day of a multi-day festival), keep in mind that you do not in fact have to try them all. Just because a vendor offers you a sample doesn’t mean you have to take it. I’ve seen people take samples of wine that they know they don’t enjoy just because it was free. Why bother? Most festivals will list which vineyards will be attending ahead of time, so take your time and pick out which ones you know you want to hit, try the wines you really want to, and then pick a few more that either look interesting or are clearly popular (or unpopular if you don’t want to wait in line).

Pace Yourself

If the event is five hours long, you don’t have to leave until those five hours are up. Take your time, try some wines, then walk around. Try some more wines, get some lunch. Try some wines, take some purchases out to your car. You don’t have to constantly have a glass of wine in your hand. Pacing yourself helps to prevent you from overindulging and from just exhausting yourself. Wine festivals are all about enjoying yourself, and nobody has fun when they’re stressed out.

Have Fun

Enjoy yourself! You’re drinking wine, mingling with people, eating food, and hopefully spending time with friends or family. This should be a great time, and so long as you take some of the above advice, there’s no reason you can’t have a great and memorable time. So drink up and have some fun.

Tom and Padme from Top Chef

I am not a reality show person.  I don’t watch American Idol, I think that Survivor is the most misleading title ever (the show would be completely different if I was on there), and The Biggest Loser just doesn’t do it for me.  I am, however, a sucker for cooking shows.

Iron Chef America claims a part of my wife and my Sunday nights, but on Wednesdays, we love us some Top Chef.  I didn’t catch Season 1 of Top Chef until probably mid-way through it, but once I saw it, I was completely hooked.  The show was all about cooking – not about outthinking the other competitors, not about winning some immunity idol, not about being more popular than the other contestants, it’s about the food.

Now, all that being said, I really want to know what Top Chef has against wine.  I’m not saying that wine isn’t consumed on the show, in fact you usually see the judges for the Elimination Challenge drinking wine with whatever meal the chefs have presented them with, but not since Season 1 when Stephen Asprinio, a chef and sommelier, made a point of pairing wine with the food he was cooking has the show made such a big deal about the nectar of the Gods.

I’m not saying that every episode should feature the chefs pairing food and wine, but certainly as they get into the episodes where they’re cooking more fine dining than humorous, overly themed meals (I’m looking at you Seven Deadly Sins episode from Season 2), it would be nice to see the chefs at least considering that their food will be paired with wine.

Throughout the show, the chefs have created cocktails, and in fact on tonights episode of the Season 5 Finale in New Orleans part of the challenge was to create a cocktail, but you never really see them tasked with pairing their food with wine, which is a shame since when most of us go out for dinner, part of the challenge we all face is pairing our meals with a wine.

All of these chefs seem intent to open their own restaurants, and I for one think it would be nice if they started taking into account that most people drink wine when they enjoy a nice meal out.  Top Chef - I hope you’re reading this and start featuring some more wine.  (Who am I kidding…they so aren’t).

Sauvignon Blanc Grapes

 
A white wine from the Sauvignon Blanc grape (vitis vinifera), the name for this wine comes from the French words for “wild” (sauvage) and “white” (blanc). Grown around the world, this grape thrives in sunny locations that don’t get overly hot.

Description

A white wine featuring a range of flavors, the taste of this grape, and the wine it produces, can range from grassy to sweetly tropical, but is typically described as crisp, clean, elegant, and fresh. When slightly chilled, Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with cheese and is one of the few wines that pairs well with sushi.

History

The Sauvignon Blanc grape traces its origins to western France in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux Region. Paired with Cabernet Franc at some point in the 18^th century to create Cabernet Sauvignon. Brought to California in the 1880s. Sauvignon Blanc acquired the alias of Fume Blanc thanks to Robert Mondavi promoting the wine in California in 1968. It was introduced to New Zealand in the 1970s.

Regions

While originating in France, Sauvignon Blanc has spread to Australia, New Zealand, The United States (primarily in California), South Africa, and South America (primarily Chile). Different regions produce different flavors of the grape, as their differing climates bring out different qualities in the wine. Some have crisp, citrus flavors, where others have a more mellow, melon flavor.

Rise in Popularity

Sauvignon Blanc grew into popularity primarily after being transported to New Zealand and South America. Both regions produce large quantities of it, and offer it as an alternative to Chardonnay, with lighter flavors and a clean, crisp finish. Also, as one of the only wines that pairs well with sushi, it has followed the upswing in popularity of that food.

Sauvignon Blanc the Wine

Sauvignon Blanc wine is a refreshing white wine that offers a crisp, clean taste, often with citrus flavors such as grapefruit. An excellent substitute for those looking for a lighter white wine, but wanting something less sweet than Pinot Grigio or Riesling, it pairs well with cheese, light appetizers, and is one of the only wines that pairs well with sushi. Along with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first wines to offer their bottles with screwcaps, especially in the New Zealand wineries.  

Drinking With Your Eyes

First of all, if the label caught your eye, you’re that much closer to trying the wine. With food we eat with our eyes first. Nobody wants to eat something that looks like it was already eaten, no matter how good it might be. Since we can’t really drink with our eyes, an interesting label is a great way for a vineyard to catch your attention and predispose you towards liking their wine before the cork is ever opened.

Marketing is Important

The label on a bottle of wine is just like the packaging on anything else you buy. Everybody knows Tony the Tiger from Frosted Flakes, and we identify that cereal with his image. What’s so different about marketing a wine to associate it with a particular design? When you see the penguin on a bottle of Little Penguin, you know the wine even before you see the name of the winery. Brand recognition is just as important for wine as for anything else.

Letting the Little Guy Compete

When you’re a small vineyard, it can be hard to compete with the Robert Mondavis and Beringers of the world for market share. An interesting or clever label is a great way to grab the attention of a potential drinker by pulling them in with your labeling, and then keeping them coming back with a superior wine.

What’s Wrong With Having a Little Fun?

Maybe the name of the wine or the winery is humorous. Maybe the wine makers just have a really good sense of humor. Wine has long had a reputation as being this very serious thing, so what’s wrong with injecting a little bit of humor and good will into it? Making wine more accessible to your average wine drinker is great. Sure, French wines are good, but how many of us really speak French? But you put a clever joke or funny limerick on a wine label and you’ve got something that will stick out in the mind of your average wine drinker and increase the likelihood of them picking up the bottle.

Never Hurts to Try

Unless a bottle of wine with a clever label costs an exorbitant amount of money, what’s the harm in at least trying it once? At worse, you’re out some money and you don’t ever buy the wine again. At best, you’ve found a bottle of wine that you picked up because the label was interesting and kept buying because it was an enjoyable wine. A clever label can be a talking point at a dinner party, a great way to have fun with somebody as a present, or just something to chuckle to yourself about. If you’re really nervous about buying a bottle of wine with a clever label, read some wine reviews first and then do or don’t buy the wine based on that, not on some preconceived notion that wine with a funny label can’t be good. While a clever wine label won’t make a bottle of wine better, neither will it make it worse.

When it comes to white wines, the type of glass that you use is really irrelevant. Some people will say that you should use a glass with a smaller opening or thinner bowl, but when it really comes down to it, the only thing that should really be of concern to you when selecting a glass for your white wine is whether or not it is clean. Nothing ruins wine quite as quickly as a dirty glass.

For red wines I’m often of a mixed opinion. While I typically use a glass with a larger opening and bowl than what I would use to pour white wine, neither do I think it will compromise the wine if you don’t use a glass like this. The advantage to using a glass with a larger bowl and opening is that a) you can get your nose into the bowl and really let the aromas of the wine wash over you and b) more oxygen is allowed into the glass allowing the flavors of the wine to open up, essentially like decanting the wine but on a smaller scale.

The other question I’ve heard is whether the material of the glass matters. This question is much easier to answer. While crystal looks great, and I’ll never not recommend it, glass is by far less expensive and since neither will have any effect on the actual taste of the wine, there’s really no reason to go out and spend money on crystal when some inexpensive glass goblets will do just as well.

When it comes to which glasses to drink your wine from, the best advice I can ever give is to go to your local store and invest in some inexpensive, basic wine glasses, roughly six labeled as “red wine” and six labeled as “white wine”. Most places will sell these for roughly two dollars a glass, which is great since you will eventually break some of them, and there’s no reason to be replacing $50 glasses just because somebody knocked one off the table.

As a side note, when it comes to whether or not to buy glasses with or without a stem, there really isn’t any difference with the notable exception of it being somewhat more difficult to knock over a glass without a stem. Personally, I’m a big fan of using stemless wine glasses for outdoor parties as you don’t have to worry about them getting knocked over and having broken glass in an area that’s harder to clean up. Either way, neither one will affect the taste, so whichever you prefer is always going to be fine.