6 tools to avoid mistakes when choosing a wine
From Kiwilimón for you

6 tools to avoid mistakes when choosing a wine

By Shadia Asencio - 2021-02-12T11:27:56Z
Enter the store. Face a totem of shelves. The stacked bottles, one on top of another, create a sense of vertigo. There are pink, white, black, green ones… really, green? Some are standing, some are lying down. The labels that name them are mostly boring. It doesn’t matter. With castles or hipster designs: none seem to reveal the flavor they guard. “Why, doesn’t anyone come to help me?” you ask yourself. “No, better that no one comes,” you reply.Yes, we’ve all been there, in that awkward moment when we must choose a wine that is going to cost us and that could either be a flop or the greatest achievement of the dinner. The coin spins in the air. We are scared or feel embarrassed as if knowing about wine were our obligation.I won’t say that choosing a bottle, even for someone knowledgeable on the subject, is something easy. Sometimes you simply can't escape from San Google before taking a wine by the horns. But not all is lost. There are some indicators that can reasonably guide you in that rare purchasing decision. 1. The price. True, it is not always an indicator of quality. I would point out, however, that here there is a numerical issue. Consider the taxes, the travel expenses, the kilometers: if it comes from far away and is cheap, I wouldn’t trust it. For Mexican wines, the situation changes because mostly the wineries that offer cheap wines are good volume companies that take the crafting seriously. Here you might find good options: Monte Xanic, Santo Tomás, L.A. Cetto.2. The region. Learning the intricacies of wine regions would take you several years of study; however, there are designations of origin that are quite strict in their quality regulations. Such is the case with Ribera del Duero, Friuli, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Rueda, Albariño, the green wines of Portugal, Sonoma, to mention a few. Personally, I love what is made in Parras, Coahuila. I have rarely failed. 3. The grape. A wise man said: “there is everything in the vineyard of the Lord.” The same happens in the vineyards of the world. The low-risk option is that when you taste a wine you like, you note the name of the grape (and the label, of course). This way in the store you will have a starting point. If you lean towards exploring options of your favorite varietal, remember that each varietal develops better in one region than in another. Examples? Pinot noir in Bordeaux or Sonoma. Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero; Syrah in Australia (better if it’s from the Barossa Valley); Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina; Riesling in Austria and Germany; Pinot gris in Friuli; Nebbiolo in the Valle de Guadalupe, and Semillon in Aguascalientes. All with their exceptions and reservations.4. The awards.I hate to say that awards matter because, how many times have we been disappointed at the Oscars. The same happens with wines; however, it can be an interesting starting point. Out there exists a series of lists made by experts who taste blindly. I would say that the ones to pay attention to are the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Decanter World Wine Awards, the Peñín Guide, Parker and Wine Spectator scores. In the case of Mexico, I like the selection made by Rodolfo Gerschman in his guide Catadores del vino mexicano. How do you find out that a wine has awards? Generally, bottles come with a distinctive or sticker of the medal they won. 5. Follow our monthly recommendations. At Kiwilimón, we introduce you to our favorite varietals, about the wines we have already tried and love. A subtle rosé with good acidity is the Izadi Larrosa from Rioja; if you want to lean towards something new from Parras, Coahuila, go for the Cabernet-Shiraz from Hacienda Florida with its notes of black fruits. The spicy Mendoza Malbec from Trumpeter never fails, and if you're looking for a fresh-profile Ribera del Duero, you will like Flores de Callejo and its candy notes.6. Experiment.Nothing like the beautiful Montessori wine learning of trying and failing, of trying and succeeding. Did you see it and did it resonate with you? Go for it. No one will suffer from a bad sip, and in the end, if the food was good, your experience will be good too.