Choosing a wine can quickly become a headache, as the offer is vast and the vintages varied. If you are one of those people who feel completely lost in the wine section of the supermarket or at the wine store, here are 10 tips to help you choose a wine , even if you know nothing about it.
1) Understanding wine
Wine is a living product of rare complexity, and it seems almost impossible to appreciate it without knowing a little more about it. It is therefore strongly recommended to take the time to tame it, and to acquire the basics of oenology , to be able to savor a good bottle, but also recognize wines of less good quality.
Take the time to inform yourself, through books, blog articles, or even during a wine tasting workshop, because this will also allow you to more easily determine what appeals to you or not in a wine. Subsequently, this information will be valuable in helping you choose a bottle of wine.
2) Read the wine label
Once in front of the wine bottle aisle, you can start by looking for some crucial information on the labels .
- The mention of the vintages : the Grands Crus Classés in Bordeaux, or the 1er Crus and Grands Crus in Burgundy are clearly guarantees of quality. Be careful, however, to check the origin and seriousness of the classification;
- The AOC : the controlled designation of origin gives you an idea of the specifications that have been respected by the wine producer. If this is a good basis for not making a mistake, we can find mediocre AOCs, and especially very good wines which do not have an AOC;
- The vintage : this information is particularly interesting for wines for aging, but it can also give an idea of what the wine can give when tasting, by looking at whether the year was hot, for example.
Good to know: don't be fooled by the "Grand Cru" designation, which is assigned to all wines that meet the specifications of an AOC, unconditionally. In the same way, the words “old vines” can be affixed without any particular regulations.
3) Distinguish between young wine and wine for aging
Generally speaking, a wine lover buys a good bottle for two reasons: either to drink it immediately, or to complete his cellar with a nice bottle of red, white wine or rosé wine with good aging potential . Depending on your expectations, the choice of wine will be different.
For rapid consumption (up to 3 years), choose wines that are not too powerful and rather light, with fruity notes. Conversely, if you are looking for a wine with the objective of aging it, turn instead to tannic and balanced wines.
4) Choose the most promising vintages
Red wines, white wines and rosé wines are the result of meticulous work and choices by the winegrower. Beyond the terroir, the alcoholic fermentation process, the grape variety or even the aging, there is a quality criterion independent of the will of wine producers: the vintage . Of course, this information is not enough to classify a wine as “good” or “bad” wine, but it can guide you.
It is quite easy to find good vintages , online or in books, and we particularly note the quality of the wines produced in recent years (2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020). The sunshine and rain made it possible to obtain very beautiful vintages, whatever the wine region and the type of wine.
Good to know: the Hachette Wine Guide is a gold mine for beginners and serious wine lovers alike.
5) Think about food and wine pairings
If you are looking to buy a good bottle of wine to accompany a meal, it is wise to choose it based on what you are going to serve to your guests. It is very likely that you already know the basic rules of French gastronomy: white wines with white meats and fish, and red wines with red meats . This knowledge is already more than enough not to make a mistake.
You can add to this by choosing a good white wine to accompany a light and fresh cheese, and a good red wine for a cheese platter with strong character. As an aperitif and starter, choose light, slightly sweet wines, so as not to saturate the taste buds, and for dessert, treat yourself to sweet or sweet wines, or even a sparkling wine.
Good to know: rosé wine could surprise you throughout your meal, whether with foie gras, white meat, and even red meat!
6) Be guided and supported
The world of wine is so complex that it can be difficult to see clearly without assistance. You can then call on the know-how of an oenologist or a wine merchant to guide you in your choices. The help of professionals will allow you to find the right bottle of wine according to your tastes and expectations, but also your budget.
Don't hesitate to trust those around you when it comes to wine. Word of mouth has always been a reliable source for finding good deals and discovering good products.
7) Do not trust the price of wine
We tend to think that good bottles are more expensive, and that you necessarily have to pay the price to enjoy them. Nothing is more false than this preconceived idea, and great wine lovers will tell you to what extent price is not a guarantee of quality when choosing a wine.
Of course, most of the time, the quality/price ratio is rather consistent, but you can also find very good bottles at low prices, especially at wine fairs.
You will often notice that wines to drink young are less expensive than wines to age, but that does not mean that they will be any less good.
8) Trust safe values, but also get out of your comfort zone
If you really don't know much about choosing wine, there are certain safe bets that will never fail you. You can then trust wine estates whose reputation is well established, or even major names, such as the wines of Provence for rosé, the wines of Alsace for white wine, or the wines of Bordeaux or of Burgundy for red wine.
But you can also venture onto unknown paths and try new experiences . You might just find some excellent quality wines.
9) Avoid mass distribution
Don't think that supermarkets don't have good wines. On the other hand, if you are a beginner in this area, it is better to turn to a wine merchant , or even go directly to the producer.
In large retailers, the choice is far too wide, and you will not be able to get any advice from an expert. Furthermore, you should know that supermarkets are generally supplied by estates with very high yields, which will certainly deprive you of good bottles of wine from small producers.
10) Taste the wine
In the world of the world, there are no real miracles. It is by tasting that you will learn to define your tastes, and therefore to better choose your bottles afterwards. You can then compare grape varieties, wine regions, vintages... And if you can't do it alone, sign up for a tasting workshop in a wine cellar . You will then obtain valuable advice on how to make an excellent choice of bottle of wine.
Our selection of wines
Are you looking for a wine to share during a convivial moment? The MDCV group offers you a selection of our best bottles of Provence wine .
Red wines from our estates
- Terres de Berne red 2019 - AOP Côtes de Provence: this fresh and refined red wine has a deep color and persistent fruity aromas, perfect to accompany Mediterranean cuisine, or even Asian flavors;
- Château de Berne Grande Cuvée rouge 2019 - AOP Côtes de Provence: this red wine in organic conversion reveals aromas of black fruits and a velvety tannic structure. It works wonders with a cheese platter or grilled meats.
White wines from our estates
- Le Pigeonnier blanc 2021 - AOP Côtes de Provence : this white wine, gold medalist at the Provence Wine Competition, is distinguished by its minerality and citrus notes. Ideal as an aperitif, it is also very pleasant with fish dishes;
- Terres de Berne white 2020 - AOP Côtes de Provence: this white wine from Provence, silver medalist by the CNCMA, shines with its freshness and balance on the palate. Its fruity aromas of pear and lemon are perfect to accompany an aperitif or Southern cuisine.
Rosé wines from our estates
- Grande Récolte rosé 2022 - AOP Côtes de Provence: delicious, light and fresh, this rosé wine reveals fruity notes of vine peaches which work wonders with a dish based on summer vegetables or Provençal cuisine;
- Ultimate Provence rosé 2022 - AOP Côtes de Provence: in its pretty iconic bottle, this fresh and fruity rosé wine presents spicy notes which offers a perfect pairing with fusion cuisine.
It is never easy to navigate among the different types of wines. So, if you need to choose a good bottle of wine for a particular event, don't hesitate to discover our wines from our Provence estates.
