How to choose a good wine

Russia is not a winemaking country at all. We are strong in vodka, but we have the overwhelming majority of imported alcoholic beverages. The wine in our mentality is surrounded by a certain aura of exclusive elitism, and often when going on vacation or business trip abroad, friends and relatives ask to bring a bottle of "something so ... good" to them. You agree, but when you go to the most ordinary store, you get lost. Hundreds, if not thousands of names from different continents, countries and even regions. What to choose? You will put in the stupor of the seller, if you just come up and say: "Advise a good wine."

Because in response to this request you will certainly hear a counter question: "What kind of wine do you prefer? White, red, maybe pink? Young or mature? Dry, semisweet, dessert, liqueur? ". After all, good wine is different, regardless of the type of grapes or blend, the vine growing region, the aging period or even the crop year. To begin with, the product must be made from wort, not pulp. Some unscrupulous winemakers pour oil cakes with water, wait for fermentation and make a certain product, on the label of which the word "wine" also appears, but in small print it is attributed: "from wine materials".

The second rule when choosing a quality product is not to focus on value. The most expensive is not the best wine yet. The pricing of alcohol is often influenced by customs duties, the beauty of the packaging, the wrapping up of the intermediary, the purchasing prices of the supplier. In order to buy a delicious thin drink at an affordable price, it is best to buy the wines of the country in which you are currently located, and even the region in which you are staying.

Take, for example, France. In this region there is a centuries-old tradition of growing various varieties of vines, on which modern achievements in the development of a quality product were superimposed. Do not be afraid to buy there "alien" varieties: sira (or shiraz), temranilo or sangiovese. On the fertile soil of Bergerac, Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley or Pace d'Oc, Persian or Italian grapes turned into a good wine with a characteristic taste. But more authentic will, of course, cabernet and savinon.

If you are in Burgundy, it's good to buy a few bottles from Bon (not to be confused with the German Bonn). A win-win option would be grade dame, pinot-franc and pinot noir. A good wine is produced in Bordeaux, Cahors, Languedoc, Roussillon. In Spain, the Rioja and La Mancha regions are famous for their delicious red wines. From the trip to the island of Madeira, be sure to bring the same name drink, as well as the port of Portugal. If you are in Germany, but prefer red wine, the valley of the river Ar will provide a wide range of excellent products.

A good white wine should be light and gentle. His exquisite qualities in the cool lands are most vividly manifested: the Rhine and Moselle Riesling in Germany, the Veneto in the Venice region, the champagne of the French Champagne, the blanket from Lima, the sherry from Spain. In Burgundy, the chardonnay reached its peak in the drinks of the Grand Cru category, but it is also wonderful in the usual regional forms. Central and Eastern Europe - Hungary, Bulgaria and even Moldova and Ukraine can also give you very good wines. Try Tokay, drinks from the basements of the Creek, Crimean dessert and liqueur wines "Black Doctor", "White Muscat of Red Stone".