Wine slinging is part of popular culture now and there’s a fine line between knowing enough to impress your date and sounding like a bit of a wanker. So where’s the line, how do you choose a good drop and what are some one-liners you can drop to your girl to impress her socks off?
Ask what she likes to drink. Champagne, rose, white or red, chicks usually have a preference. Take the reins and look through the menu and drop in one of the below fun facts to tickle her interest:
– Chardonnay gets a bad wrap, but usually it is cheaper, un-wooded chardonnays that taste terrible. If you get the chance, try a wooded chardonnay, the oak that the wine ferments in totally changes the flavour – it’s way more buttery and smooth.
– Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio is actually the same variety. The difference is, Gris originates from France and Grigio originates from Italy. The climate of the region it is grown changes the characteristics of the wine.
– Red wine – did you know that almost all grape juice is actually white? No grape actually produces red juice, it is the skins of the wines, or tannins, that make the wine red
Pronounce the variety correctly. You drink enough of it, so learn how to pronounce it, see the guide below for tips on the more tricky varieties.
– Viognier [vee-on-yay] – traditionally a dry white variety commonly found in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand.
– Tempranillo [temp-ra-nee-yo] – a black grape variety native to Spain which produces a full-bodies red wine.
– Moschofilero [mos-coh-fee-ler-oo] – a Greek white grape producing wine much like a pinot gris.
Never choose the cheapest glass on the menu. It will make you look cheap. Don’t choose the most expensive, cos it will prove you don’t know what you’re doing. Choose one or two wines up from the lowest price point and buy the bottle not just a glass.
If the date is going well and you make it to dessert, blow her socks off by ordering a Moscato or dessert wine when it comes to dessert. Best served with a cheese plate as the bitterness of the cheese will help cut through the sweetness of the wine.
Lastly, if you can’t remember any of the above, ask the sommelier to suggest a wine that compliments your meal because it’s sure to be a good drop.
These tips were brought to you Vino Paradiso. Check it out at The Rocks, Sydney: Nov 6-8, 2015.
http://vinoparadiso.com.au
