The (Fast) Beginners’ Guide to Vino
The world of wine can be scary, especially if you’re new to sippin’ alcohol. You may find yourself asking these questions: What is wine? What is Pinot Noir? Do I have to always swirl? What is the difference between wine and beer?
We’re here to tell you that you don’t have to be intimidated. Let us guide you through your first step! Here’s Vyne’s Quick Beginners’ Guide to joining the world of wine:
What is Wine?
Made from fermented grape juice, wine is an alcoholic beverage. However, it isn’t just that. Consuming wine is an art and enjoyable experience, because how the wine is made plays a big role in its tasting experience. For example, what type of grape was used? What is the vintage (year the wine was bottled) and how long was it aged? Don’t worry if you can’t learn everything the first time.
Wine? Beer? Liquor?
One thing they all have in common— is fermentation. Wine, as we know, is made from fermented grapes, and would usually have around 8%-15% in ABV (volume of alcohol).
Spirits and liquors go through distillation (after fermentation) and are usually the hard drinks (vodka, brandy, tequila, rum, etc) because of their high ABV (40%).
Beers and Ciders typically have low alcohol content. For beers (depending on the style), the ABV is usually around 4% to 6%, while for ciders, it may be in between 3% to 13%.
Keep in mind that this is just a brief introduction to wine, beer, liquor and spirits. There are many other factors (like when the alcohol is produced or how it is distilled), that define each drink, and of course, its individual tasting profile. Take your time in learning through each of it, one step at a time!
How To Drink Wine?
There are essentially three basic steps to tasting wine: seeing, smelling and tasting.
So, someone poured you a glass of wine. The first thing you’ve got to do is, check it out. What is the colour, opacity? This step takes about five seconds and can tell you a lot about a wine, like its age, for an example. Then, take a sniff. Use your instincts and try to detect what you smell. Was that… earth? Finally, swirl your glass, and then taste!
Again, these are just quick steps to how you can taste wine. Just like learning about it, tasting wine is an experience and practice. Check out our tasting guide to delve deeper: https://www.vyne.my/blogs/news/how-to-taste-wine!
Which Wine?
You’ve probably heard of red wine, white wine, and stuff like pinot noir or chardonnay before. But what are the differences? There are essentially five types of wines; Red, White, Orange (aka Skin-Contact), Rosé and Sparkling. What makes them different is the type of grape used, and of course, how they are made. This is where terms like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc come in. These are the types of grapes used. Is it all starting to make more sense now?
Want to know more about each type of wine?
We’ve got you covered ➡️ https://www.vyne.my/blogs/news/wine-101
When and Where Can I Start?
Now you know a little bit more about wine, your next step is to get down to business. Check out our comprehensive guide to buying wine online: https://www.vyne.my/blogs/news/buying-wine-online-near-me-a-comprehensive-guide%F0%9F%93%96 or alternatively, head down to www.vyne.my to start picking your first bottle of wine!
We hope that with this guide, you no longer need to feel overwhelmed by the world of wine. Understanding the fundamentals, such as the differences between wine, beer, and liquor, and the art of tasting wine, will empower you to explore and appreciate the nuances of this delightful beverage. Discover more about each type of wine and learn how to purchase your favourite bottles online or visit Vyne at www.vyne.my.