You Don’t Need Fancy Wine Words to Find a Bottle You’ll Love!

Here’s a little secret from behind the counter. Some of our favorite conversations start with someone saying, “I really don’t know anything about wine.”

We love hearing that! It usually means you’re about to be honest about what you actually like, and that’s so much more helpful than a bunch of fancy terms. You don’t need to know what terroir means or be able to pick out hints of leather and tobacco. You just need to tell us what you’ve enjoyed before. If walking into a wine shop makes you a little nervous, this one’s for you.

The single most helpful thing you can do is snap a picture of a label you liked. It could be from a dinner party, a restaurant or even a bottle you grabbed at the grocery store. Show it to us and we can find you something similar, or something a step up from it. The same goes for a wine you didn’t like. Knowing what to steer away from helps just as much. And if you don’t have a photo, that’s okay too. Even something like “it was a red from Italy with a bird on the label” gives us somewhere to start.

You also already know how to describe flavors, even if you don’t think you do. You do it every day with food and coffee. Do you want something that feels light and easy, or something heavier and richer? Do you like it a little sweet or not sweet at all? For reds, do you want something smooth and soft or something bold that kind of grips your mouth? For whites, do you like it crisp and zippy like lemonade or round and creamy? Do you lean toward fruity flavors like berries and jam, or more earthy flavors like mushrooms and herbs? Answering any one of those gets us a lot closer to the right bottle.

This next one surprises people, but telling us what else you like to drink helps a ton. If you love black coffee, you might really enjoy a bold, dry red. If you’re into sour beers or tart lemonade, a crisp white like Sauvignon Blanc could be your thing. If fruity cocktails are more your speed, a juicy Zinfandel or a nice rosé might be perfect. And plenty of people who love hoppy IPAs also love zesty, herbal white wines.

It also helps to know what the bottle is for. Is it for dinner tonight? Tell us what you’re cooking. Is it a gift? Tell us a little about the person. Is it for a party? Let us know how many people are coming. Or maybe it’s just for a Tuesday night on the couch, which is a perfectly great reason to buy wine.

And please, don’t be shy about your budget. There’s zero judgment either way. Telling us you want to stay around fifteen bucks or that you’re happy to spend up to forty helps us find the best bottle in that range instead of guessing. You’d be surprised how many really great wines don’t cost much at all.

Once we have a feel for what you like, try asking for something just a little outside your comfort zone every now and then. If you always drink Cabernet, maybe try a Malbec from Argentina or a Tempranillo from Spain. Small steps like that are how you figure out what you really love. And if we recommend something and it isn’t your thing, tell us next time! That helps us get it right.

So what should you actually say when you walk in? Honestly, something like this is perfect: “I usually drink red, I like it smooth and not too heavy, I’m making pasta tonight and I want to spend around twenty dollars.” That’s all we need.

Come see us. We’ll ask a couple of easy questions, skip the snobby stuff and help you find something you’ll want to buy again and again.