Contributed by Andrew Christian – For the ideal date, wine and a little romance go together. It warms the heart and slackens the tongue. If you’re going on a hot date, you need to pick a cool wine. So how can you pick a wine that will give you the most value for your money, while at the same time, please your date? Following are 10 tips that will assist you in creating the perfect wine dinner date at a restaurant, or for a relaxing wine dinner at home.
- Do You Know About Your Date’s Wine Experience?
Before you start, you should take a couple of seconds to consider your date. How experienced would they say they are with wine? Is it true that they are quite knowledgeable about different varieties available? Or they haven’t tried wine at all? Those new to wine probably won’t perceive the differentiation between an old-world wine and a new-world wine, or between a hundred-dollar bottle and a twenty-dollar bottle. Know a bit about their background before choosing the best wine for your date.
2. Communicate and Ask About Preferences
To gather more information, communicate with your partner and ask about their preferences. Tell them you are planning a wine dinner for them and want to make sure they will enjoy the occasion. Do they prefer red, white, rose, or sparkling? In whites, do they like a touch of oak or scorn it? Do they like a full bodied wine or something more fragile? Sweet-smelling or more standard? In red, do they incline toward more tannic or smooth wines? Is there a wine region they prefer? Once you get to know your date’s preferences, it will be easier for you to choose the perfect bottle of wine!
3. Next Consider the Food
Once you know your date’s wine style preferences, it will be easier to match with food. Everybody has heard the ‘rule’ about white wine and fish, and red wine with meat. Though some fragile reds go very well with fish, and big whites can be paired with pork, it’s a reasonable rule to follow for beginning situations. Also avoid exceptionally high alcohol wines with hot food as it can be explosive on your palate. With spicy food, select more fragile wines like Riesling.
4. Always Go for the Bottle
At restaurants, purchase a bottle of wine for your meal, rather than a glass. In practically all cases, you’ll get a more extensive decision and more wine for your money. Often times if you each purchase 2 glasses of wine, you would have saved more by buying a bottle, which would have provided 5 glasses instead of 2 glasses each. Many restaurants will list their wine list online, so you can consult it in advance. Alternatively, you can telephone and talk with them before your dinner date. Some restaurants will even allow you to bring your own bottle of wine and pay a corkage fee.
5. Enroll the Sommelier’s Assistance
People study wine and sell it, and they LOVE conversing with sommeliers, so you shouldn’t be humiliated to request their assistance. Mention to them your preferences, what you’re eating, what your spending plan is, and whether you’re keen on more unusual recommendations. In case you’re modest to state a dollar range out loud, simply point at certain wines in your price point on the menu and say, ‘I was thinking something in this value range.’
6. Do Not Select the Cheapest Wines – Be Classy
Try not to purchase the first or second least expensive wine on the menu. Many restaurants increase the mark-up on their cheapest wines because they realize that many customers will order those. Be smart and look at mid-priced wines, or those that match your date’s preferences and the meal.
7. To Impress your Date, Pick a Famous Wine Region
In case you’re uncertain about whether your partner will value a particular wine, it is often safer to select a wine from a more famous region. For instance, inside California, wines from Napa Valley, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara will surely impress your date and could start some romantic discussion.
8. Taste the wine; however, Don’t Worry about it
Once the wine arrives at the table, check the name and vintage date to ensure it’s what you requested. Whirl the glass a little, take a decent sniff, and afterward a taste. All you’re searching for is self-evident: does it smell like soggy cardboard, yucky vinegar, or rotten eggs? No? Great, you’re fine. Say, ‘thank you, that is fine.’ But recognize that it’s alright to return a bottle if it is flawed. Simply say, ‘I figure this wine may be flawed, can we go for another one?”
9. For Dessert, Ensure the Wine is Sweeter than the Pastry
At the point when you have a sweet treat, you would prefer not to taste a tart or excessively tannic wine because the two won’t ever harmonize. A dessert that is sweeter than the wine will often make the wine taste harsh. Consider organic produced tarts, baked goods, poached pears, or even cheese for dessert. If you both desire dark chocolate, then consider a sweet red port. Ordering by the glass is fine for dessert wines.
10. Serve the Wine at the Appropriate Temperature
If you’re at a restaurant, they will normally serve the wine at the correct temperature. However, if at home, consider these guidelines. Generally white, sparkling, and rose wines lean toward serving temperatures somewhere in the range of 40- and 50-degrees Fahrenheit. In case you’re serving full-bodied whites or lighter reds, focus on 50 to 60 degrees F. Full-bodied red wines value serving temperatures somewhere in the range of 60 and 65.
Remember the Romance of Wine
So are you ready to bring a spark to your romance? Planning a wine dinner date has a considerable rundown of advantages. It’s hotter than an espresso date at a corner store and more impressive than fast food take-out. Wine has long been considered one of the most romantic beverages, with poetry and songs written about its benefits. To quote, “Wine enters through the mouth, Love the eyes.” Regardless of whether it’s a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, wines are ideal for setting a sentimental state of mind for the perfect date night.
About the Author: Andrew Christian works as a store manager in Arrow Liquormart, a famous liquor and wine store in Littleton, Colorado. He not only enjoys wine, but spending time in nature, and socializing with nerdy friends who appreciate his homemade wines.