Suggest 6-12 bottles of wine for a beginner!

[Matt..]

I know nothing at all about wine. Not good i know! What i would like is a selection of wines that i can get from somewhere (supermarket/majestic/etc...) to get me started and give me a good basis for learning what's good

So please help me find 6 to 12 bottles that are worth a try for a complete novice


Thank you!

[Mobile Chicane]

Try Virgin Wine - you can choose by 'style', and there are wines in all price ranges.

Or your local Adult Education centre may offer wine tasting as an evening class.

[flimper]

If it's a dry white I like Pinot Grigio and a drop of Chablis

[10 Pence Short]

Try along the lines of Cabernet Sauvignon for reds and Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Grigiot for whites. South Africa and Chilean reds are easy drinking, as are New Zealand Marlborough whites such as Montana and Villa Maria.

You should struggle to find a bad wine in those, then start to experiment as you go along.

[acquiescence]

Can't go wrong with half a bottle of Blue Nun...

[V8mate]

Mobile Chicane said:

Try Virgin Wine - you can choose by 'style', and there are wines in all price ranges.

Or your local Adult Education centre may offer wine tasting as an evening class.

It's not often I disagree with your POV, MC, but can I advise the OP to stay as well clear of Virgin Wines as possible. Ditto Sunday Times Wine Club.

Somewhere like Tesco will cover all the bases for someone who wants to 'dabble'.

[Cactussed]

My 2c would be:

Buy a few different bottles. Red and white. Go for different grape varieties.
Learn the difference between a chardonay grape and a reisling and a sauvignon blanc. etc
Between a Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir etc etc

The different grape varieties make a huge difference to the taste. Once you've figured out what grape varieties you like, then start looking at specific wines and vintages.

that's how I'd start

[Wadeski]

i would definitely add a good Loire white like a Pouilly-fume or a Sancerre, bone dry and very "flinty" to get a good comparison with the zingy fruit / oak of a new world chardonnay. Contrast helps the flavours make sense and stops things tasting of "white wine".

same can be said for a South African Shiraz vs a smooth, plummy American merlot or a rounded burgundy (usually Pinot Noir).

[uncinqsix]

I would suggest a bit of a mix of wines of various varieties from various parts of the world to see what you like and to learn a bit about how they all differ. e.g:

A Bordeaux
An Italian red
A Cotes du Rhone Syrah
An Australian Shiraz
A Malborough Sav blanc
A Loire sav blanc
An Italian Pinot Grigio
An Alsation Pinot Gris
A Burgundy
A NZ Pinot Noir

[Bullett]

Not forgetting budget of course.

Personally

under £6 and it's pot luck on getting anything drinkable.
£6-£10 you should get a good hit ratio and some nice wines.
£10+ and you should be learing whats good and what's not.

try one/two bottles at a time say a Chardonny and a Sav Blanc for white and compare side by side.

[Working class]

Le chateauneuf du pape, its the only red you'll ever need to drink!

[HiRich]

Cactussed said:

My 2c would be:

Buy a few different bottles. Red and white. Go for different grape varieties.
Learn the difference between a chardonay grape and a reisling and a sauvignon blanc. etc
Between a Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir etc etc

The different grape varieties make a huge difference to the taste. Once you've figured out what grape varieties you like, then start looking at specific wines and vintages.

that's how I'd start

Yep, grape varieties is where to start. I went to Majestic (min order 12 bottles) and asked for recommendations across a variety of styles. You could do this with any reputable wine merchant (ie the person you speak to has some knowledge of the wine), and explain what you want to do. Split it red/white according to your preferences, then try to work through them fairly quickly, thinking about what you are tasting. Things to remember are:

• Red Bordeaux are blends, normally based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
• Red Burgundies are normally Pinot Noir
• Syrah (French Rhone) is called Shiraz around the rest of the world.
• White Burgundies are Chardonnay.
• Chardonnay can be lightly or heavily "oaked", which changes the flavour dramatically (Oaked is supposed to indicate how long it has sat in the oak barrel, or how old the barrels are; but certain producers chuck in fresh oak chips to increase the oaking)

A good book on basics is also a wise investment. You could do a lot worse than check out Wine For Dummies. The trick is to get to a point where you can start identifying smells and flavours (and putting words to it), and have a broad idea what options you are looking for (e.g. you're having roast lamb, and you're in the mood a butch red to match - so Bordeaux, Tuscany, perhaps a Shiraz, but not a Burgundy or Piedmont Italian). If that sounds difficult, it's not (with the book givng you some guidance), and it's rewarding when you realise how much progress you've made.

Beyond that, enjoy the wine, think about it when you are drinking it, and keep exploring (in variety, region and price).