Wine for Beginners....

[yy_4ne1]

I think it would be awesome if gary could create an episode for all the NEW followers of his show...

some show ideas:

how to pick a wine while at a restaurant
how not to look like a douchebag when ordering wine (smell the cork? WTF)
how to properly pour the wine
how to enjoy the wine (techniques he uses to evaluate...)

just basic things to get us newbies started...

what do you blokes think?

[jcduerr]

http://tv.winelibrary.com/new_to_wine

[mikec]

Looks like Mott did some linking that day.

[dstrack007]

There's also a "Wine for Dummies" book as part of the "... For Dummies" series and it's pretty good. Hits specifically what you're asking about and really simplifies lots of the wine world - especially helpful for France and the differences in naming conventions between countries (France uses family names and regions vs. California using grapes and sometime names that have nothing to do with anything). Well worth the cost.

http://www.amazon.com/Wine-Dummies-Sterling-Roig/dp/B000EQ5PSC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1217954748&sr=8-3

[king_hippo]

I have been drinking wine for about a month. I have had about 5 wines but all basically taste and smell the same with varying levels of smoothness. I don't taste any damn blackberries or oak monsters. Is this something that will come to me in time or should I just assume my pallet is destroyed by years of hot pockets and pop rocks?

[dstrack007]

I have been drinking wine for about a month. I have had about 5 wines but all basically taste and smell the same with varying levels of smoothness. I don't taste any damn blackberries or oak monsters. Is this something that will come to me in time or should I just assume my pallet is destroyed by years of hot pockets and pop rocks?

Give it time... I have a great friend who has joined me from time to time at various wine functions and I'll never forget listening to one wine critic talk about all these tastes like "leather, oak, blackberries... " and my friend says " Uh... How about grapes... I taste grapes." I thought that was classicly funny. Take small sips, let it sit on your tongue for a bit... think about how long it takes for the taste to leave your palet. Make sure your red wine is room temperature-ish and not too cold because that really makes it tough to taste. Practice makes Perfect ;-)

[IanPR]

...destroyed by years of hot pockets and pop rocks?

Wait... combined? :D
*patents*