Increase your wine knowledge by 132%: random picks

January 8, 6:57 PMBoston Wine ExaminerJulia Timakhovich

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Part III in the wine knowledge series:

Go for something totally random

There is value in trial and error--it feeds your sense of adventure and discovery.

So if you are a die-hard red wine fan, try a glass of white with the same meal at the same time. Or vice versa--for pure fun.

If you never drink white Bordeaux, for example, order white Bordeaux. It can surprise you with its versatility. Depending on how much Semillon, one of the blending grapes, they throw into the mix, it ranges from crisp to almost sweet. People usually associate "Bordeaux" with red, French, and expensive. But as with everything in wine land, it isn't always what it seems. Whites from the region stay under the radar and thus provide great values. Try a white Bordeaux with oysters and seafood.

Ditto with something even more obscure such as South African siganture red grape, Pinotage. It is a mix of Pinot Noir and Cinsault--and it has specific spicy notes that to me, taste like camping out in the woods--the burnt smell of camp wood and s'mores. I like it, but many people have a love-hate relationship wiht this one. It's either love at first sight, or blah. Think spicy, alcoholic, and very specific in flavors. So you may hate it. But so what--you tried it and now you know.

Or let's way you are in a liquor store and you pass by an Italian isle, stocked full with bottles that all look similarly foreign. Italian wines are hard to learn--there are thousands of ingidenous grape varieties and names too florid to remember for the untrained tongue. Sometimes, the label will list the grapes. Most of the times, it will list the region where the wine is from (like France), And sometimes, it will only have a fantasy name--whatever the winemaker decided to call that blend. Don't let that deter you. If you heard that Chianti goes well with pasta and want to try a bottle but don't know which one, simply pick something in your price range that looks good--or better yet, ask a wine person in the store to help you. If you like the wine, voila. If you don't, try another region.

Wine is meant for drinking and thankfully, Boston is a fantastic market to try a full range of international wines. The market is always changing, and what is obscure now may be in the spotlight tomorrow. Let your curiosity take the better of you, explore and enjoy. If something catches your attention, get the label (or write it down), and google it. Chances are, the winery has a website with all the information you need. Or, if all else fails, Wikipedia the name. Don’t let that knowledge flee.