Getting Started — The 4 Things You Need to Know About Wine

by Tony Jacobson, 24 Mar 2014

Here are the 4 things you need to know to get you started with drinking wine:

  1. Why do people make such a big deal about wine?
    People are so passionate about wine because each wine has a story to tell. You can taste it. Drinking soda is pretty much always the same. But with wine you can sit around with friends and have a lot of fun discussing all the different aspects of a wine. Each bottle of wine has a story to tell. Here are the elements that give each wine its story:
    • What kind of grapes were used to make it?
    • Where did those grapes come from?
    • What kind of climate does that place have?
    • Was it a year with perfect grape growing weather or a bad weather year?
    • What is in the soil where the grapes grow?
    All these things affect the taste of the wine. Experts call this "terroir" (pronounced tare-wahr). It is the ability to taste the place of the wine. If all wine tasted the same, people wouldn't really make a big deal about it. But it is fascinatingly complex and you can spend a lifetime exploring through all the different wines and regions of the world.

  2. What are all the different kinds of wine?
    There are 2 common kinds of wine that you probably already know of: red and white. But it is broken down in more ways than that. The 5 most common wine types are:
    1. Red
    2. White
    3. Sparkling (Champagne)
    4. Pink (Rosé)
    5. Dessert/Specialty
    There are several additional types but they are much less common. Many different varieties of grapes are used to make the types listed above. The most common ones you may have heard of are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Reisling, and Syrah. There are well over 800 different varieties of grapes used in all the wines around the world. To make things even more interesting, most wines are a blend of different grapes. For example the famous Bordeaux Blend is usually a mixture of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot. The good news is that there is an endless world of unique flavors to experience as you explore the world of wines. It may be a bit daunting trying to sort through all the different types and varieties out there, but don't worry, they are just names and a way to identify what you're drinking. With Winetracker.co you can easily keep track of what you drink by scoring it, bookmarking it for later, or adding a wine to your wishlist to help you remember what to buy when you go wine shopping or out to dinner.

  3. How do I pick something I'll like?
    If you don't know where to start in finding a wine you'll like, here are a few different areas to explore:
    Flavor groups in Red Wines
    • Light and Fruity
    • Smooth and Supple
    • Earthy and Spicy
    • Big and Bold
    Flavor groups in White Wines
    • Light and Crisp
    • Fruity and Smooth
    • Rich and Creamy
    Most wine will fall into one of the above categories. So pick a category that sounds interesting and delicious to you. Then I'd recommend you go to a restaurant which serves wine by the glass. That way you can try several different wines without having to buy an entire bottle. Ask your waiter to recommend a good wine in one of the above groups. For example, say, "I'm looking for a good red wine that is Smooth and Supple."

  4. How do I score a wine?
    Its good to score the wine you drink. It helps you remember what is good and what to avoid in the future. You might think, "But I don't know how to score wine." Well, I have good news for you. Even if you've never tasted wine in your life you can easily and quickly score a wine with Winetracker.co. There are 4 different categories by which to judge a wine:
    1. Smell
    2. Taste
    3. Aftertaste
    4. Overall Impression
    These 4 categories add up to create a score between 50 and 100. Fifty is equivalent to something that is terrible and undrinkable. One-hundred is equivalent to the most amazing glass of wine you can imagine—something that blows you away.

    With our app app.winetracker.co, you'll have a beautiful visual history of everything you drank plus whether you liked it or not. Then you'll quickly get a sense for what you like and don't like and can find wines you'll love.

    In the Winetracker.co app, each time you take a photo of a wine you can add a score:


    Super quick and easy! Then you'll have a beautiful, full-screen, visual history of all the wine you've drank. Give it a try now at app.winetracker.co