Tips for Tasting Wine

Wine drinking is a new experience for many people in Lexington and we want to help you learn to enjoy wines as much as we do!

Here are three tips for when you attend a wine tasting, whether it's simply stopping by our shop or a more formal event.

1. When at a tasting, always smell the wine first. If it doesn’t appeal to you at all, avoid tasting it; just try another. If your curiosity can’t pass it by, just take a sip or two and then dump it; you don’t have to drink it, even if you have paid for the tasting.

2. At a tasting whether at home or in a store, it’s best not to rinse your glass with water but to rinse with a tiny bit of the wine you’re about to taste.

3. Take notes if you taste a lot of wines. Remember, wine is alcohol, and it may be difficult to remember what you liked or didn’t like! Also, after tasting a lot of different wines, they begin to taste the same and maybe even better than they really are.

Trying New Wines

One of the perks of owning a wine shop is that we get to try lots of new wines. We want you to have as much fun as we are, so we are offering several ways for you to sample wines you've never had before.

Free Daily Tastings. We always have several bottles open and available for tasting.

The Tastings Tryout. Our monthly wine club offers four new bottles each month, for just $50. It's a great way to try new wines you may not have considered before. We promise it will please your palette and your purse! Learn More.

We encourage you to learn more about wine and beer by visiting the following websites.

Childress Vineyards. A world-class winery in our own backyard.

Yadkin Valley. Our nearby wine appellation. We carry several wines from these local wineries in our shop.

Robert Parker Online. Robert Parker is an independent wine critic known as the "voice of the wine consumer."

Wine Spectator Magazine. Offers wine rankings and more.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Another magazine for wine lovers.

Food and Wine Magazine. Offers advice on wine and food pairings, recipes, etc.

Summer Whites: What Have You Been Missing?

Even perennial red wine drinkers occasionally head for the whites during these sizzling summer days.  Of course, Tastings carries many traditional oakey chardonnays, but for hot days, unoaked chards and other white grapes will be lighter and, perhaps, more refreshing.

Some "other whites" that may be a treat for the heat are chenin blanc (vouvray) with its fruity finish; sauvignon blanc (if you haven’t tried the Kim Crawford or the three Sauvignon Republic wines, we carry, you just “gotta”).  The Sauvignon Blanc grape is easily recognized with its distinctive smell and crisp, dry "green" taste that points directly to the middle of the mouth.  Most are rather acidic; you may want to compare a French pouilly fume and a New Zealand sauvignon blanc to see if you can spot the differences. 

If you haven’t tried the full-bodied, fashionable viognier, you are in for a pleasant treat.  May blossoms and apricots will come to mind as you lean back and enjoy this medium dry wine on a hot day.

Pinot gris (or grigio) seems to be made just for summer.  Most are medium-dry to dry, depending on the vineyard, and are golden and light to the mouth.

For heat relief, gewurtztraminer and riesling are always good.  Both of these fine wines can be sweet or dry or medium.  It is good to know which one you prefer before you buy.  Come to the shop and taste; we'll make discovering your personal preference easy.

Chardonnay drinkers often switch to pinot blanc (we particularly like Alsatian pinot blanc) and chateauneuf du pape white for a lighter summer taste.

One of our favorite wines to chat about in the shop is the gruner veltliner from Austria.  It is spicy, and full-bodied.  The one we carry in the shop has a glass "cork," in keeping with Austria’s rich history of fine crystal. 

Last but not least, and one of the shop’s favorites, is the albarino wine from Spain.  This is a fine grape with lemony perfume and with good, solid backbone which is perfect for pairing with shellfish.  Try it with your next tasting of boiled shrimp!  Tastings carries two very good albarino that are typical of the varietal.

Recipe for Summer Sangria

Nothing cuts through the heat and humidity of our Carolina summers like a tall glass of sangria.

Here is a simple recipe that's big on taste. Stop by Tastings to pick up some great bottles of wine for this recipe.

• - 1 bottle red wine (Rioja or merlot work well)
  • - 1 bottle white wine (a crisp, floral wine with a little
    sweetness works well - nothing oakey.)
• - 1 cup sugar
• - 2-4 cups of sliced fruit (oranges, lemons, peaches, apples and strawberries are all great sangria additions)

Combine all and chill for at least an hour. The longer you chill it, the more the fruit and wine flavors will blend. Serve over ice. This recipe provides 8-10 servings. Cutting it in half works well - simply use 1/2 bottle of each wine and less sugar and fruit.

Wines for Fast Food

Customers have jokingly asked the Tasting Team, "What wine do I serve with a Big Mac?" Well, we know that we can't eat gourmet meals all the time, so we have done a little research. For hamburgers, we suggest a slightly sweet or semi-dry bottle such as a white zinfandel, gewurztraminer, or chenin blanc. If you have Chinese take-out such as a sweet and sour pork dish, try a Riesling (from any country). For tacos, try a beer! We have Sol from Mexico, but if you really want a wine, and the dish is really spicy, a sparkling wine should do nicely!

Learning About the Varietals?

Interesting in learning about specific types of wines?

All about Madeira

All about Prosecco

All about Vouvray