How do you choose a wine as a novice wine lover?

Just starting to get interested in wine, but not sure how to choose one? No problem, here's how to make the right choice in 3 simple steps.

But first. I'm assuming you want a wine that's immediately enjoyable, without any fuss, without decanting, without years of bottle aging, and just to name a few other typical wine terms.

That's why I'll ask you three questions below, which should give you a good idea of ​​what suits your taste and budget.

And then it's simple: Click , order , taste tomorrow .

First let's start with choosing wine

When choosing your (first) bottle, you want something that immediately brings pleasure. A beginner's wine—and that's not a bad thing, by the way—should be approachable, pleasant, so to speak. So what does that mean?

• Not too many tannins
  Tannins provide that rough, dry feeling on your teeth.
• Pleasant acidity
  Yes, I get it, you don't want a sour wine, but you do need a little. I'll explain why here . But in short, some acidity adds freshness, and it also makes it wine, not too heavy, and more.
• And clearly fruit
  You may still hear about "primary tastes" from time to time, but you can now completely forget about it.

How do you find this? Look for terms like " easy-drinking wine ," " smooth red wine, " or " crisp white wine " in the product description. Now, this doesn't tell you everything, especially since you rarely see it on the bottle. That's why I have a few tips to help you get started:

1. Choose a relatively young wine . As wine ages and/or matures longer, secondary and tertiary flavors (wood, tobacco, leather, etc.) become more pronounced. So, for reds, choose 1 to 3 years old. For whites, choose 1 to 2 years old.
2. For red wine, look for terms like Ripasso & Appasimento . These wines are made with grapes that have been dried a little further before being made. This results in slightly more sugars and therefore often a slightly fruitier, sweeter, and smoother flavor.
3. Merlot, Malbec, Primitivo and Zinfandel , all red grapes that often have a more accessible flavor profile in themselves.
4. Sauvignon, Vermentino, Pinot Grigio if you like fresher flavours.
5. Chardonnay , Viognier if you like something softer/creamier.

The 3 things to determine for yourself

Those three questions I mentioned earlier? Here they are. The combination of answers will give you a direction to explore.

Number 1: What is your flavor profile (sweet, fresh, soft)?

• Do you like fruity and light?
  Think of flavors and aromas like citrus, apple, pear, lychee, or flowers. Choose a crisp white wine or a dry rosé.
  
• Want something richer but not too heavy?
  Thinking of strawberries or berries? Go for a smooth red wine with soft tannins (e.g., Merlot or a young Grenache).
  
• Can it be a bit fuller, but not too hard?
  Think cherries, blackberries, and milk chocolate? Primitivo/Zinfandel are your friends.
• Feeling festive?
  Choose a smooth sparkling wine or cava. For a slightly sweeter note, look for a demi-sec.
  

This short self-test will help: do you like citrus and apple (fresh), strawberry and summer fruit (rosé/fresh), or soft cherries and chocolate notes (soft red)?

Number 2: Which wine for which occasion?

• Fresh white wine:
  Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Often light, refreshing, and ideal as a first white wine with a meal. Also goes well with salads, (grilled) green vegetables, and not too oily fish.
  
• Creamier white wine:
  Chardonnay (with terms like oaked, butter, etc.) This pairs better with oily fish, or fish whose fat comes from a richer sauce like a beurre blanc.
• Smooth red wine:
  Merlot, Gamay (Beaujolais), or young Grenache. Few harsh tannins and a direct fruity note. This is often perfectly fine on its own, but also pairs well with moderately strong pasta, pizza, or poultry.
  
• Rose:
  Ideal for the patio, of course, but also a truly great match for many dishes. It pairs well with many dishes that aren't too heavy, like a burrata salad.
  
• Heavier/Stronger red:
  If you have a dish with a lot of flavor or fat, like grilled meat, you can easily choose a heavier red wine. So, what's heavier? This can go two ways:
  • Something that complements the flavor: complimenting. Then you have those more jammy, creamy red wines: Think Primitivo, Zinfandel, Ribera del Duero, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. If you're just starting your wine journey, I'd start with these.
  • Something that offers contrast in flavor: contrasting. This means more acidity, tannins, red fruit, and leather. Think of Barolo and Brunello.
• Bubbles: Try young cava (without a vintage) or prosecco if you want something festive but not complex.
  

Price guide for beginners: €8–€15 per bottle. This is a safe range for buying your first wine: quality and enjoyment at a fair price. The question to ask yourself: When will I drink this wine(s)?

Number 3: What is your budget?

Of course, a very important point: how much do you want to spend? This will help you define what you can/should consider.

Once you know the style and the timing, you can explore your grape and region options. It's difficult to give you an overview of all our 5,000+ wines paired together, but I'll give you a few guidelines.

Type of wine	Price range	Occasion	Style	Look at for example
Fresh white wine	< €10	Well chilled (refrigerator cold) it is also great for the patio, otherwise it goes very well with fresher salads.	Fresher, slightly higher in acidity. Fruity.	Zenato Pinot Grigio
	€10 - €20	This is truly a wonderfully refreshing wine without any overpowering acidity. It's milder than the option above, making it perfect for the patio and pairs well with many salads. It's also a truly excellent glass.	Fresh, soft, good aftertaste.	Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio
	€20+	New Zealand Sauvignon almost always gives you that very grassy, ​​Granny Smith-like flavor. Very good, but you have to like it.	Grassy, ​​green apples, tiny hints of asparagus.	Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Creamy white wine	< €10	If you want to discover what oak and buttery flavors mean in Chardonnay, then this is an ideal place to start your journey of discovery.	Full, woody, buttery	Butter & Wood
	€10 - €20	This is much less intense than the option above, and therefore leaves a little more room to drink another round of white afterward.	Relatively soft wood tones, nice and soft, good balance.	Vignobles Vellas Chardonnay 52 Blend
	€20+	If you've made further progress in your journey, the balance between wood, fruit, and butter will start to make a clearer difference. Then you might want to give this a try.	Creamier, woody, soft, smooth. Longer aftertaste.	Enate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Rose	< €10	Ideal for the patio. Because of that slightly sweet note, it might be a bit more difficult to pair with food.	Very slightly sweet, smooth, low acidity.	No Pretention Luberon Rose
	€10 - €20	A bit drier, but still not bone dry. This makes it easier to pair with various dishes.	Good acidity, not that sweet, works better with salads, chicken, etc.	Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc Rose
	€20+	This is a class in itself. If you want to know how good Rosé can be, and if it's no longer just a "terrace wine," then this is the textbook example.	Not cheap, but incredibly soft, creamy, good finish.	Domaines Ott Rose Chateau de Selle
Bubbles	< €10	This is made like Champagne, but at a very affordable price.	A top seller that apparently appeals to a lot of people.	Cava Palau Brut
	€10 - €20	This is very accessible, not too dry.	Fresh, fruity.	Bepin de Eto Prosecco
	€20+	For when you find champagne a little too dry, but still want nice bubbles.	Very fresh, dry, but not so much that your mouth tightens up.	Bellavista Grande Cuvee Alma Brut Franciacorta
Smooth red wine	< €10	Simple, not too heavy. You can also just drink it by itself as a glass.	Smooth, but with a little more spice.	Rio Lindo Syrah
	€10 - €20	A red wine that goes well with very light dishes.	More red berry flavor, not heavy, a bit more acidic. Perfect with pizza.	Luigi Pira Dolcetto d'Alba
	€20+	This goes very well with heartier poultry dishes, but also with halloumi, for example.	Red fruit, soft, fresh.	Francis Coppola Santa Barbara Pinot Noir
Stronger red wine	< €10	Especially for people who really don't like that rough feeling and high acidity in red wine, ideal.	Full, creamy, with a hint of cherries and raisins. A bit jam-like.	Barasasso Appassite
	€10 - €20	Good with a piece of meat, and especially good if you don't like those very syrupy red wines, but still want something with a clear presence.	A bit more pepper, some dark fruit. Not jammy.	Matsu El Recio
	€20+	Not everyone is a fan of Primitivo, but its style also appeals to many connoisseurs. So it's a good choice for a group with a diverse background in wine.	Full-bodied, rich, but not too jammy. It also has a bit of a floral note. Everyone will love this.	San Marzano Collezione Cinquanta
Dessert wine	< €10	Good with a not too sweet dessert.	Sweet, soft white.	Le Haut Pais Cotes de Bergerac Moelleux
	€10 - €20	It pairs very well with very sugary desserts because it's so refreshing. This does drink like a soft drink, though, so be careful.	Moscato has a lower alcohol content (approximately 5-6%). This makes it very refreshing and light. Often with strong peach and tropical fruit flavors.	Angelo Negro Moscato D'Asti
	€20+	This pairs beautifully with strawberries and some chocolate-like desserts. And if you want to serve something unexpected,	A dark dessert wine, therefore slightly more pronounced. More dark fruit jam notes.	Elysium Black Muscat

In short

A good beginner's wine makes wine enjoyment immediately accessible and prevents you from immediately thinking, "Uh, too sour for me..." or "too dry..." during those first experiences.

Hopefully this helps you a bit, but if not, you can just call or email us...