The countdown to the most awaited day of the year by retailers and discount hunters has begun. THE sexta-feira Negra this year is scheduled for November 25th but it has already started its warm-up with great expectations: 78% of consumers intend to make a purchase this year, according to a survey by Ebit/Nilsen.
If, on the one hand, it is an excellent opportunity for retailers to reduce inventories – especially in the wine segment, which had a “boom” in sales during the pandemic and then stabilized – on the other hand, it can bring a lot of anxiety to consumers when shopping.
Check out some tips that can help you when making your selection:
Understand your personal taste
The first thing to take into account is the wine profile that you like. Among all the characteristics to be considered, I usually say that three of them will guide the choice: the sugar content, the body and the tannin.
The sugar content will affect the perception of sweetness in the wine, which can vary from dry, semi-dry, sweet or smooth. The body is the weight of liquid in the mouth: try drinking water and then milk. Notice how the milk has more weight. Tannin is what causes the feeling of “dry mouth”. With the understanding of these three aspects, it becomes easier to read the data sheets that accompany the labels on the purchase sites.
Learn to read the labels
Region: in general, warmer regions will be favorable for a greater maturation of the grape. And, more ripe fruit, has more sugar concentration, which means that the wine can reach a higher alcohol content. On the other hand, colder countries will mature more slowly, which will preserve the acidity of the grape and wine. Therefore, if you appreciate fresher and more elegant wines, look for colder regions. If you like wines with more body and that ripe fruit sweetness, warmer regions.
Alcohol content: usually the alcohol will give you clues about the body of the wine. It is not a rule, but it is more likely that a more alcoholic wine will also be perceived as more full-bodied, while one with a lower alcohol content will be perceived as a lighter wine.
Grape: will also give you a good idea of what to expect from that wine. Sometimes, especially in New World wines, they will be discriminated on the label. But in other cases, no. So the secret is to look for information about this wine on importer, producer websites and even in the wine stores themselves, to find out the grapes and characteristics of that label.
Year: the vast majority of wines available for sale on supermarket shelves and specialized stores are for young consumption and will not benefit from aging. That is, if I can give you a tip, in general it is: choose wines from more recent vintages.
Define the consumption occasion
Thinking about the situation in which the wine will be opened and tasted helps a lot in choosing the best option. Here are some tips:
Dinner: choose a wine that has the same intensity as the main dish: dishes with a milder flavor call for more delicate wines. If you don’t know what the menu for the night will be, opt for light red wines, which are great when it comes to harmonizing. Good options are Pinot Noir, Gamay or a Piedmont Dolcetto.
Meeting with friends: democratic, young and cheerful wines, like Argentine wines made with Malbec, Merlot, Primitivo or a Portuguese Alentejano.
Barbecue: It is worth saying that “the best friend of meat is tannin, so wines with a lot of tannic load, which is a component that will connect to the meat protein and leave a softer sensation in the mouth. Classic are the wines with the Tannat grape and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Meeting for two: more delicate and fresh wines, preferably with good acidity and low tannin content, so as not to leave the couple with a dry mouth. Here it is worth rosés, whites, sparkling wines and light reds.
About Pri Matta
Priscilla is a journalist, sommelière and creator of the profile @deondevinho on Instagram. She makes it clear that she doesn’t talk about wines there, but about moments. It’s just that wine is in everyone!
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.