The wine aisle of the supermarket can be a daunting place: so many bottles from so many countries. Many people end up just going on the grounds of price. They know it’s not the way to go about things, but hey, do you really have time to do a week long sommelier’s course in the south of France? If you’re a busy mom, I doubt it!
That’s why this post aims to take the stress out of wine buying with a few simple tips and suggestions, depending on the reason for your journey down the wine aisle.
A fine wine to take to a meal with friends
It’s one of the most common scenarios facing wine buying moms: you’ve been invited to the house of friends for dinner, but your hectic lifestyle means you’ve had no time to think about what wine to take. To make the task easier, find out what’s on the menu. If it’s a seafood dish or risotto, go for something dry and white. A Sauvignon Blanc is a reliable choice. Many sauvignons have citrusy hints which combine well with chicken too. If on the other hand the main dish is red meat, look for a full-bodied red with peppery hints. If you want to show your hip credentials, go for something that will surprise. Argentina is a great under-rated source of reds: try one produced from the Malbec grape variety. For the best Malbec deals out there, I usually like to shop online at Tesco Fine Wine.
A good wine to give as a gift
The requirement of a gift wine is that it should make an impression. A slightly older vintage is a good idea, which pushes people more in the direction of reds which tend to get better with age. As a gift staple I tend to fall back on clarets from the Cotes du Rhone region of France. These old Chateau-produced bottles look great, with classy coats of arms from the noble families who produced them. They’ve never let me down!
The perfect wine for a summer picnic
The old Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazelwood song will tell you that summer wine is made from strawberries, cherries and an angel’s kiss in spring. I can’t put it as poetically as that, but I can recommend a good bottle to take to a picnic in the park. Light and white should be your motto for these al fresco occasions. Italian is the perfect choice: a Frascati with hints of apple would be my top recommendation.
There are plenty of other wine-buying occasions of course, but these are three of the most common scenarios. Hopefully this advice will stand you in good stead for the next time you face them!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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