For centuries, wine has been enjoyed by countless individuals. To get the most enjoyment out of the act of drinking wine, a bit of knowledge is essential. Spend some time reviewing the advice below, and you can soon become a true connoisseur and relish each and every drop of wine you drink.

Try not to exclusively drink the best wine that you can find at all times. Sometimes, you will notice that some of the best tasting wines are medium grade and not the crème of the crop. Explore all types of wine and try them with different meals to determine your favorites.

Bring along your wine resources with you to the store. There is so much information on wine out there, and bringing along different source materials can help you make better choices. Items like brochures, magazines, books, and websites have great information to pick the best wine for your plans.

Read everything you can get your hands-on with respect to wine. Not only are there books available, but the Internet is a great resource as well. Check out blogs and reviews. New ones are coming out all the time, and they can be very valuable in helping you select wine that you might enjoy.

A good tip if you’re interested in learning more about wines is to simply do your homework on them. Do as much reading as you can about wines and the industry, and before you know it, you’ll be the most knowledgeable person about wines among all of your friends.

Use different glasses for red and white wine. The white wine glass is designed to keep the liquid cool, and thus is narrower. Reds, however, are best in a wider, large-mouthed glass. A wider glass will let more air get into the glass, awakening the flavor as it reaches the air.

When serving wine for parties, open the Merlot and Cabernet a half hour before the party starts. This will allow the wine to make contact with the air and start “opening up.” As reds are exposed to the air, oxygen allows the tannin and flavors to activate and become more robust.

If you are saving your wine after a night of drinking, make sure to cork it well. You want to avoid letting extra air into the bottle because it will completely change the taste of the wine and can cause it to go rancid. Make sure the cork fits securely, or use a wine stopper that blocks air out.

If you need to find a wine for an important occasion such as a wedding, it is best to have a small wine tasting party beforehand. Invite some of the guests and have them try different wines. Give them a large selection to choose from and do not hesitate to offer different options at the actual event.

If you are not too familiar with wine, make sure to shop at a wine store. While many grocery stores and even some convenient stores carry wine, they do not have the staff on hand who really understand wine. If you shop with professionals, you will have a better chance of finding the wine you want and gaining valuable information in the process.

You can read as much as you like about wine, but ultimately, you have to decide for yourself if you like it or not. Price often doesn’t matter. You may like an inexpensive bottle of red wine much more than a costlier version. Don’t apologize for your tastes. Drink what you enjoy.

A good tip if you’re buying any wine from the grocery store is to make sure you get a bottle that’s fresh. Like anything in a supermarket, all the old stuff gets pushed up to the front, so you might need to dig a little deeper to find the newest bottle of wine you want.

Look around your local area for good wines. Wine is produced in ALL 50 states. You may find a great vineyard that you can take a day trip to. Supporting your local wine growers is great in itself; however, there are many gems being made right here at home that often go overlooked.

If you have a smaller space, you can create a wine cellar of sorts in an empty closet. Place racks in the closet to store the bottles on, and try to keep the door closed often to prevent light from entering. A closet will generally have a fairly consistent temperature, making it ideal for storing wine.

Wine has long been a staple to cultures and civilizations the world over. However, to really optimize the wine drinking experience, it is important to familiarize yourself with everything you can pertaining to wine. By keeping the above information close at hand, you will be able to do just that and enter a world of sheer pleasure.