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Wine 101: How to become a wine connoisseur

31.1.2018

You won’t become a wine expert within a few weeks, but by learning about the basics, you’re sure to experience new flavours and get an insight into the world of wine. I decided to follow the footsteps of real wine connoisseurs. Read on to find out what I learned along the way.

I’m the kind of person who picks wine based on its price and label. I never go for the cheapest or the most expensive bottle. I know what I like, but I don’t know how to describe it. And sadly, I’ve come to realise that only because it has a pretty label or I’ve seen it in my mum’s wine cellar, a wine isn’t necessarily tasty, let alone of good quality. I admire wine connoisseurs – in fact anyone who can tell a good from a bad wine and knows the right terms to describe the difference. Doesn’t this just seem really sophisticated? My personal range of describing wine stretches from «mmh, nice» to «not my cup of tea» – and I use vocabulary such as sweet, earthy or bitter. That’s all I know. Anyone who’s able to identity and describe wine aromas has my greatest admiration.

Don’t worry, it took me many hours of researching, reading and talking to experts who really know what they’re talking about – the type of connoisseurs who use hundreds of adjectives to describe wine.

I enjoy a glass of wine every now and then and love discovering new wines. That’s why I set out to explore a range of aspects surrounding this popular drink. I’d like to share what I learned with you, so here’s my personal «wine 101».

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