Finding a wine that suits your taste can be easy. A wine tasting at home or with friends may be all you need to find that perfect bottle to open every evening. There are many popular white wines, and each bottle has a distinct taste. Whether you’re looking for a crisp sip, sweet bottle, or dry drink, you can certainly find something you’ll love. Learn how to choose a good white wine with our guide.
8 Tips for How to Choose a Nice White Wine
Finding a good wine can transform your evening routine. Sipping a delicious glass of white wine can elevate meals and help you unwind. There are many types of white wine, each thrilling and complex. Finding the perfect bottle involves having a deeper understanding of wine and what needs you want to fill with each glass. Discover how to choose white wine below.
1. Understand Different Wines and Profiles
Selecting a white wine can require some research. There are many options on the market, and understanding each one will provide a solid foundation when browsing the shelves. Take the opportunity to ask experts about their opinion or read books to establish some knowledge. Take note of information like:
- Which wines pair well with all varieties of food?
- Which wines are best without food?
- What is the distinct taste of some wines?
- What are the most popular wine varietals?
- Which grapes create which wines?
2. Decide Your Price Range
You can choose white wine by sticking to your budget. Although some wines may taste excellent, you won’t be able to fully enjoy them if you can only sip them on the rarest occasions. Evaluate how often you want to indulge in a delicious glass and how much you can spend per bottle based on those needs. Often, prices will vary depending on the grape varieties and the region they come from, so you can work to find something similar to those expensive bottles if they’re not quite in your budget.
3. Understand Grape Varieties
Grapes are essential for wine bottles. Grape varietals can drastically affect the drink’s taste, and you can learn a lot about a bottle before trying it by getting to know the grapes. Each grape has a distinct personality.
For instance, Chardonnay often has silkier, gentler notes, while Riesling is fragrant and has a lightness and zippiness. Sauvignon Blanc has punchy fruit notes, and Viognier has natural floral, light, and lush features. Of course, each wine can have additional notes, and various processes can alter the overall feel of the bottle, but recognizing the grapes will go a long way toward finding your favorite bottle.
4. Evaluate the Acidity
Choosing a dry white wine is a matter of understanding acidity. Acidity causes tartness. Generally, the more tart the wine, the crisper it is. Some grapes will have more acidity than others. For instance, Sauvignon Blanc is naturally more acidic than some other grapes. However, the grape climate and winemaker process ultimately determine a wine’s acidity.
5. Determine Your Sweetness Level
White wine is unique because you can find a range of sweetness in different bottles. Many white wines are dry, but you can find delicious semi-sweet and sweet bottles that are refreshing and food compatible. Whether you want the driest wine on the market or the sweetest bottle on the shelves, you have plenty of options with white wine.
Some bottles will have a sweetness scale on the label or words describing the level of sweetness. If you’re unsure how sweet you want your favorite bottle to be, try a few bottles to encompass the spectrum and see which ones stand out.
6. Take a Chance With Sparkle
Sparkling white wine is deserving of its own category. These versatile bottles can quickly elevate any occasion, from friendly get-togethers to a night alone on your couch. You can find dry and sweet sparkling varieties, so don’t be afraid to get fancy with your favorite bottles. At the very least, consider having a sparkling bottle ready for any occasion to add a new sense of sophistication.
7. Think About Your Food Options
Some wines pair excellently with only a small mirage of food options, while others are versatile and can appear on nearly any dinner table. If you’re picking dry white wine for a particular event, it will be helpful to consider the menu options. If the food is sweet, salty, or spicy, you’ll want to find a bottle that complements that variety.
Generally speaking, dry wines, like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc, are excellent for lighter fare meals consisting of pork, salads, fish, cheese, or white meat. Meanwhile, sweet wines such as Riesling complement fruits, desserts, and other sweet treats.
8. Attend Tastings or Host Them at Home
Ultimately, the best way to determine what you love is by tasting as many bottles as you can. Purchasing shelves worth of wine can be costly, so consider going to local wine tasting or hosting a tasting with your closest friends and family. Prices will vary for tastings, with some venues charging by the glass and others offering deals for particular bottles. However, tastings are still a cheaper and more accessible way to access a variety of the best wines in your area.
However, consider expanding your reach to wines from well-known regions and invite your friends to collect a bottle for everyone to try. For instance, Napa Valley wines come from an ideal Mediterranean climate, and people from all over travel to the area to taste the vast wine assortment.
Thankfully, you don’t need to travel to California to find your next favorite bottle. Gather friends for a Napa Valley wine theme, and purchase different Napa bottles online for everyone to share. Find snacks or craft a charcuterie board and drink the night away with some of Napa’s best. After you find your favorite, be sure to order a few bottles so you can always have a glass any time you want.
Choose White Wine From Marketview Liquor
Choosing white wine from Marketview Liquor empowers you to bring the best bottles right to your door. Marketview Liquor is your one-stop shop for wine and spirits online. We offer several benefits for customers, such as free shipping on select wines, wine selections for under $10, and wine and liquor delivery to most states in the United States.
Finding your favorite bottle has never been easier. We make it easy to browse for wines by region, type, and much more. With us, you’re sure to find a bottle you’ll love. Browse our vast selection of white wine to find your next favorite bottle.