Look Like A Wine Pro At The Next Wine Festival

One of the best parts of living along the coast is enjoying a weekend wine festival in Pawleys Island or Myrtle Beach. Even taking in a nice red while enjoying patio dining in Pawleys Island is a relaxing way to finish the week or interrupt the afternoon.

Whether you’re sipping chardonnay out of clear tasting cup or savoring a glass of Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, you can sound like a wine expert by simply understanding the basic lingo. Wine verbiage isn’t reserved for those enjoy fine dining. It can make your wine festival experiences better when you know what’s being served and learn which wines you enjoy most.

Wine List Language

If you’ve ever experienced dinner with a friend who requested a “dry” or “oaky” flavor, you may have assumed they’re selecting from the best wine list available, but that’s not necessarily the case. Understanding the words that describe your favorite reds, blushes, and whites doesn’t require passing The Master Sommelier exam. Here are a few adjectives to add to your vino vocabulary:

• Crisp: Wines that offer a refreshing, acidic flavor are your “crisp” options. The most popular of these wine types include a glass of Sauvignon blanc or Pinot gris.
• Dry: Maybe one of the most common words used when referencing wine, dry is often used out of place. It simply refers to the sugar content of the wine, and a request for a “dry” wine means you’re asking for a selection with no residual sugar. Request a dry wine if you prefer your coffee black.
• Oaky: If you enjoy a deep smokiness to your wine, request an oaky choice for your fine dining meal or wine tasting selection. These wines are stored in oak barrels during the fermentation process, which gives them the toasty flavor.

Order Wine Like A Pro

Wine festivals are a great way to sample multiple wines and find a flavor you enjoy. For example, if you discover that you really like a clean, crisp wine, narrow your choices by discovering different regions of origin for the type of wine you enjoy. You’ll often be able to purchase bottles of the wine you sample. Once you’re comfortable with choosing a crisp wine, move to a different type.

If you’ve seen the movies where people swirl the red wine around in a glass or take a deep inhale before sipping, there’s a valid explanation why they don’t just dive right in. The look and aroma of a wine can tell you a lot about the flavor prior to tasting.

Once you do take a sip, notice the wine moving back down to the bottom of the glass. Those drops are often referred to as “legs.” When the legs of a wine are slow-moving, the alcohol content is typically higher. For wine with thin, fast legs, there’s a lower alcohol content in the bottle.

Of course, when you’re dining in Pawleys Island or taking in a sunset while dining al fresco, ask the wait staff which wine is best based on what you like. From a full-bodied Cabernet to an easy-to-sip Pinot grigio, the Chive Blossom wine list has something for everyone.