The search for the perfect bottle of North County wine can be a daunting affair. How can you possibly decide when presented with such a wide variety to choose from? The simple fact is that there is a wine that fits right with your palate and budget; finding it is going to be tricky but not impossible.
Here are some tips to help you out:
Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions
Not everyone who walks into a wine store knows exactly what they want. Besides, asking questions helps you get better at selecting the perfect wine to serve at events. And above all, salespeople want to help – it’s their job!
Another benefit to asking questions is that you build a relationship with the staff, who in turn learn about what you like. Based on that information, they might even suggest something new in North County wine for you to try.
Go for Wine in Satellite Regions
Burgundy is a popular wine making region in France. Wines from this area will cost a lot of money given its name and the quality it can produce. But you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy a good bottle of wine.
What you can do instead is go for wines made in regions surrounding the popular one. It’s not a step down when it comes to quality either as the grapes grown in such regions are the same. They just don’t have the well-known name working for them.
For example, Pinot Noir is a red wine grape popularly associated with Burgundy. But you can get the same quality from areas like Mâconnais in southern Burgundy.
Check the Label
Your taste preference has a lot to do with how you will enjoy wine. Wine can be dry, off-dry, medium dry or semi-sweet, medium sweet, or sweet. Without tasting, how can you know what you are getting? The answer is written on the label, and the particular listing you’re looking for is alcohol by volume (abv).
Although the abv. listing is sufficiently reliable, taste can still be fairly subjective. For example, what might be sweet to you may just be mild to another person. That said, a bottle with an 11% alcohol level or higher is fairly dry.
Then again, where the grape is grown will also impact the way the wine tastes. For example, Muscat can be considered dry but it gives off a sweet smell.
Avoid Heavily Marketed Wines
Marketing an item costs a lot of money, so you can expect that to reflect when you check the bottle’s price. To avoid the shock, go for brands that aren’t yet quite known. Nothing is stopping you from buying the expensive variety but if you’re still in the stage of trying to figure out the North County wine you like, it’s best to avoid wines that have been marketed extensively.
Not everyone immediately finds a wine they like and stay loyal to in years to come. Selecting the perfect wine is a process that will take a while, but the journey will be worth it. And of course, never forget about proper wine storage to ensure that your money isn’t wasted.
Chateau 55 is centrally located and proud to serve San Diego County, including but not limited to the cities of: Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe, Carlsbad, San Marcos, and Escondido