[How to choose wine] Part 2. The best way is to taste the varieties

So, let's put aside the brand and winery name for a moment and look for something that clearly states the place of origin and variety, and follow it up.

Once you've narrowed it down to the New World countries, the next step is to choose the variety.

yes!

please!

Before that...

Of course wine is delicious to drink, but I think it will be more fun if you approach it with the mindset of "I'm going to improve my knowledge a little." It's like you're improving your skills. That will also make it easier to choose wine in the future.

Let me show you the first step to that.

Y-Yes, please!

First of all, "Don't drink wines you don't know" ! This is important!

Lol lol lol

What is that?! (laughs)

Let's say that the information on the label tells you roughly the country, place of production, grape variety, and alcohol content.

The best thing to do is to imagine what's inside, drink it, and gain experience points like, "Ah, that's good."

The important thing is to be able to predict the taste to some extent from the label .

As I have said many times before, if you choose wine based on the idea that "the one with this label was delicious, so I'll buy it again," you will not be able to break away from that mindset. It will be difficult to move on to the next step, and you will end up not understanding anything.

So it’s important to be aware of the region where the wine you’re about to drink was made and what grape variety it was made from .

I really hadn't noticed anything until now...

I was drinking while thinking that I didn’t know what was going on… I guess that’s why I can’t move forward…

By the way, how many different grape varieties do you know that are used in wine?

Grape varieties…
What type of grapes are used to make wine?

oh yeah.

Chardonnay, Merlot,
Cabernet Sauvignon, maybe?

Ah, I know Chardonnay! And Beaujolais!

Beaujolais is not a variety (laughs).

Huh? (sweat)

(lol)

There are said to be thousands of different wine grape varieties in the world today.
That's amazing.

By the way, in NZ, which is introduced on this site,

These grape varieties are the main ones used to make wine.

Wow, there are so many!

Yes, these varieties are all major varieties even on a global scale . The characteristics of each variety are summarized on each page, so please take a look.

If you memorize about three red varieties and three white varieties from these, it will completely change the way you choose wine.

Three each...
Isn't that a lot right from the start? (lol)

Yeah, most of the time when we buy things we go to regular supermarkets...
I don't think they sell that many things...

That's right. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular red wine, and Chardonnay is the most popular white wine, so when you go to a store, you'll probably find that most of the shelves are filled with these two varieties.

So if I'm going for white wine, should I start with Chardonnay ?

Chardonnay seems like a basic choice.

Yes, it might be a good idea to compare Chardonnay by price.
However, there is also the option of not choosing Chardonnay .

What?! It was the only white wine variety I knew about. (laughs)
It would be a problem if it came off!

If you leave out Chardonnay, you're pretty much out of options...

Chardonnay is an incredibly popular variety, so the characteristics of the variety vary quite a bit and can be difficult to grasp. So, although it may be surprising, I think it's best to start with a white wine that isn't Chardonnay.

So, the varieties I would recommend for beginners are...
Sauvignon Blanc! And it's from New Zealand.

Let's start from there!!

Sauvignon Blanc…
I've never had it...

Ah! I think I've had it before! And it was from New Zealand. I bought it at a nearby supermarket. Oh, it's named after grapes...

It seemed a little on the sour side, but it was really fruity.

Yes, recently more and more supermarkets are stocking it.

The acidity that Mika mentioned is a good thing about Sauvignon Blanc.

Furthermore, New Zealand wines have a strong citrus aroma, such as passion fruit and grapefruit, so even beginners who don't drink much wine can easily enjoy the taste .

If we can start by focusing on Sauvignon Blanc, that huge New Zealand brand, I think a whole new world will unfold beyond that.

The general idea is to start with a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Next, try Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, which is relatively easy to obtain. Then, once you have a good grasp of it, try your best to go to France.

There it is, France!

But is French Sauvignon Blanc sold in stores?

Can't you buy it?

Sauvignon Blanc is the white wine of Bordeaux.

White Bordeaux is often sold at convenience stores.
But in French, it might be written as "Bordeaux" instead of Sauvignon Blanc. It contains a variety called "Semillon", but the base is Sauvignon Blanc.

I see~

When you try French wine, you will realize that it is completely different from the New World wines you may have tried first, such as those from New Zealand and Chile.

If you feel that way, then that's a step forward.

What red wine varieties would you recommend starting with?

Well, when it comes to red wine, people's preferences are quite clearly divided between those who like stronger wines and those who like weaker wines.
Tannins are the bitter component of wine. Some people can handle a lot of them in wine, while others find too much of them too harsh, so you have to decide which side you are.

Hmm, which one do I like better? I don't know.
Actually, come to think of it, I may not have ever had a weak drink properly...

What should people do if they don't know which one they prefer?

Yes, I'm sure there are people like that, so why not start by trying a wine with low tannins?

What is a wine with low tannins?

Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich wine.
It's cool.

Eh, if it's the opposite, does that mean it's something else as well...?

Yes, when it comes to reds, try something other than Cabernet Sauvignon first!

There it is! A departure from the norm! LOL

So, what variety does Iwasu-san recommend?

My recommendation is NZ Pinot Noir !

Pinot Noir...I've never tried this either (sweat)

I've heard of it, but I don't think I've seen it in the stores I usually go to.

Yes, I don't think there are many (laughs).
The reason is that Pinot Noir is actually a high-quality variety. Have you two ever heard of "Romanée-Conti" ?

Oh, is that a really expensive wine?

Yes, that's right.

Pinot Noir is the grape variety used to make the world's best wine, Romanée-Conti. It's notorious that cheap wines taste bad (laughs).

In Japan, there aren't many Pinot Noirs that cost less than 1,000 yen, and even if they are around 1,500 yen, it's hard to find a good one.

What I recommend is New Zealand Pinot Noir .

NZ Pinot Noir is highly regarded around the world for its high quality. And yet, you can find great wines at low prices starting from around 2,000 yen. It's hard to find French wines for 2,000 yen.

After all, large supermarkets have to distribute large quantities of wine, so they have to stock wines that have a consistent taste every year and are made by super-large companies, so they can ensure that they have enough stock. This means that the wines don't have a strong individuality, especially Pinot Noir.

Because it's not widely available, I think there are many people who have never tried it, but I think that its gentle flavor is actually something that Japanese people will like.

Also, I think it goes well with Japanese food, such as "Chikuzenni" or "Buri Daikon" which are seasoned with soy sauce and mirin. It also goes well with the flavor of yakitori sauce.

It's a variety with such depth that I'd definitely recommend beginners to try it.

But the reason why Cabernet is sold exclusively in wine departments is because there is high demand, right?

I agree.

Looking around the world, I think dark red wine has more fans.

Also, I think it's surprising how beginners tend to like strong wines. Everyone wants to go to a place where they can say, "I'm drinking astringent red wine now." I was like that when I was younger.

However, as I get older, I find it harder to eat heavy meals and drink heavy wines, so I feel that lighter red wines suit my diet better (laughs).

Iwasu-san... (laughs)

For those who are just starting to drink wine, the price of Pinot Noir may be a little daunting, but I would encourage them to give it a try.

I want people to drink something good the first time, and I don't want them to be disappointed by drinking a cheap wine.

Good wine is expensive.

But I want to learn by drinking good wine.

Hmm, but there aren't many Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noirs on sale, right? How should I buy some?

I guess it's the internet after all.

Yes, New Zealand wines always have the variety written on them, so I recommend buying them online.

Also, there are a lot of single-varietal wines in New Zealand, so if there are other varieties you are interested in or like other than Sauvignon Blanc that you want to try, give them a try in New Zealand wine. I think you won't be disappointed.

For example, if you're looking for Sauvignon Blanc , we recommend Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc .
It's sold at supermarkets, and I think it's one of the most easily available wines in Japan.

If you're looking for Pinot Noir , I recommend Sileni's Pinot Noir .

Wow, thanks for the specific information!

Link to it ♡

In this way, when comparing different varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir,

Gradually I realized they had similar taste characteristics.
Gradually, I come to understand that this is what I like.
↓
The world of wine gradually opens up
↓
More ways to enjoy

In this way, your wine experience will increase.

If you know what varieties you like, you'll be able to buy wine that you think is delicious at any store.

in short,
Variety and place of origin provide important clues
That is what it means.

Also, once you've conquered one variety, you feel like you understand it, so it's fun.

Once I had a general idea of what Sauvignon Blanc is and sorted that out in my head, I'd say, "Okay, next! Let's move on to Riesling," and set off on a journey to find Riesling.

Rather than starting out by tasting different varieties, you first get a good grasp of the characteristics of one variety before moving on to the next.

I agree.
I think that's a good idea.

In today's Japan, where trade is highly developed, I think the quickest way to learn about wine efficiently is to try different varieties.

On the other hand, drinking "country" alcohol is quite good.

For example, if you start in France, the home of wine, it may seem like an endless road.

So I think it's best to start by thinking, "Oh, this says Sauvignon Blanc, so I'll buy it."

If you try it and find that you don't like the variety, it's probably best to just stay away from it.

So sometimes I go to a store with a sommelier. There, I try a bit of Sauvignon Blanc that I've never tried before, or the next wine I'm going to try. It's better to drink it while being conscious of the variety. So I think it's fine to say, "I'll try Pinot Gris as my next challenge." At a store, I can stop after one drink.

I feel that understanding your own preferences in this way is the moment when a whole new world of ways to enjoy wine opens up.

It's about being intentional and finding what you like.

I'll try it starting today!
I want to drink wine soon.