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+--- Thread: Looking for wine resources (/thread-15937.html)
- msuJEEP18 - 01-15-2008
Hi all. New to the board and new to the world of wine. First off, I started working for a Package and Wine store about 4 months ago. Before this time I had never even tried wine before, so obviously my knowledge is very limited. The owner of the store where I work boasts the largest collection of fine wines and liquors in the state, and is very knowledgable on the subject.
Well I wanted to try and keep this trend. When people come in looking for something, I don't want to just sell them a bottle, I want to be able to educate them. So I was wondering if anyone had a link for nice resource materials on wines. I would like to be able to inform people on things like the differences among white merlots, white zinfandels, and roses. Information as to what regions of California are known for producing what kind of grapes. Things like how weather affects the grape, and how that affects the taste of the wine. I'm very interested in learning this kind of information, not just for my customers, but for myself as well.
What intrigues me is what are the different Rieslings that Schlink Haus has? There seems to be about 4 or 5 of them.
- hotwine - 01-15-2008
Welcome to the board. Suggest you read as much as you can get your hands on. Popular magazines include Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine and Wine & Spirits. Excellent books include Larousse Encyclopedia of Wine, The Oxford Companion to Wine, Great Wine Made Simple, Foodie's book - can't find it on the shelf right now - there's a bunch of reading ahead for you. And taste - go to tastings at retailers', festivals, whereever you can find wines served in small portions for tasting. Make notes, read and taste some more. And have fun.
- msuJEEP18 - 01-15-2008
Thanks for the reply. I've found the FAQ on this site to be helpful. I was wondering if there were any online resources as well.
- wondersofwine - 01-15-2008
I'm going to direct you to another website you might find very helpful:
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/regionalguides/regionalguideshome.shtml
Regional guides to Loire wines, German wines, etc. Very good advice on German wines.
I will say that most wine fanciers who have more than a beginning knowledge of wine will not be that interested in white merlots or white zinfandels. We tend to favor actual white wines (Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, etc.) and actual reds (Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Syrah/Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Malbec, Mourvedre, etc.) I think you need to start with a basic book such as Andrea Immer's "Great Wines Made Simple,"
"Wine for Dummies" or an encyclopedia of wine as Hotwine suggested. There is a good book on California wines that came out a couple years ago. Does the wine shop have any books on hand either for staff to peruse or to sell to the customers? If not, try a local library before spending a lot of money at the bookstore. (Just as you can save money by attending free tastings at the wine shop or local restaurants if they are allowed to hold them before you spend money on bottles you may not enjoy.)
Wine is a great hobby and I applaud your effort to learn more but there is no instantaneous all-knowing resource.
- wineguruchgo - 01-18-2008
Knowing the regions is very important. Once you get a general idea of what grape is from where and why you can then take the next step.
Use your distributor reps who come in to sell their wines.
Ask them about their wine and why their wines are different from others.
They can give you fact sheets and a lot of info on each wine. If they know you are interested in selling their wine they should come through with a lot of info for you.