How to select wine for your next BYOB event or party

People have been drinking wine for centuries.  Grape seeds pre-dating ancient Greece were found in the country of Georgia near the Caucus Mountains.  Let’s face it; drinking wine isn’t a new thing.
Despite wine being around for centuries, new (and sometimes even old) wine drinkers are often scared to buy wine.  “If I’m just starting to drink wine, where should I go?,” you might ask.  You might be headed to a new BYOB Chicago restaurant or an intimate dinner party, and you don’t want to disappoint.

Your local supermarket or wholesale store is a great wine resource once you know what you want.  Typically, they have large inventories and low prices.  Costco is a great place to buy wine, as long as you expect little service and information besides a price tag, tasting notes, and ratings. Better hold off on getting your wine there until you learn a few basics.  

On the other hand, you may prefer small wine stores or bottle shops any time you are shopping for win.  Bottle shops usually have wine geeks behind the counter waiting to tell you about their “latest find” or cool wine accessories.  For example, Bob from Liner & Elsen in Portland, Ore., or Amy from The Bottle Shop in Chicago won’t steer you wrong.

You’ve decided to venture into a bottle shop.  You walk into a store and walk up to rows of bottles with price tags, tasting notes, and ratings.  What should you buy?  

One section of the store is American wines, with rows marked Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot, miscellaneous reds, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and more.  Then there are other sections, such as Italian, Spanish, French, Australian, New Zealand, South American, etc.  It’s not getting any easier, is it?

By this time, you are ready to grab the bottle with the coolest label…you have no idea what to do.  It’s okay.  Take a deep breath and remember, buying wine should be a pleasure, not a chore. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone at the shop. People who work in wine shops are generally passionate about wine and can provide you with great recommendations.

When you talk with someone at a wine store, here are some things to know:
1.    Your budget.  For example, “I’m looking to spend $12 or less per bottle.”
2.    Price.  There are great wines at every price point.  From experience, it is generally hard to find good wine below $9 per bottle (sorry Charles Shaw), but that still leaves a lot of wiggle room.
3.    What will you be eating with the wine?  The staff can suggest a wine that will match well with the food accompanying the wine.
4.    What you like or dislike.  For example, “Cabernet is too bitter for me, but I really like wine that tastes like raspberries.”
5.    Other things to consider are fruit (juicy), alcohol (body), acidity (refreshing), sweetness (sugar).
6.    Don’t pay attention to ratings.  Yes, ratings do give an indication of the wine quality, but it doesn’t mean you are going to enjoy the wine, so buy what you enjoy drinking.

After a few minutes of chit-chat, you will likely have some great wines to choose from.  But we’re not done yet…

Before you leave, ask the wine steward if they have any wine tastings coming up.  Wine tastings are the perfect way to learn about and taste new wines.  Though regulated differently in every state, typically they are free.  Often the distributor and/or producers will come to talk about their wine making it an even more enjoyable experience.

Additional articles about BYOB Chicago

About the author

Kevin Cohen is co-founder of Corx Wine Bags LLC, an online retailer and wholesaler of the original, high-tech wine bags and wine accessories. Corx Wine Bags can be found in select wine shops and online at www.corxwinebags.com. In addition, Kevin is a serial entrepreneur, CPA and co-founder of Bene Gourmet Pizza, an Oregon-based, three-store restaurant group specializing in gourmet pizza and wine.

Please Rate This Article

Select Rating Excellent Very Good Interesting Fair Could Use Improvement

Number of ratings: 0
Rating: 0