There are many winemakers in the world; some from regions you didn’t know they existed. However, you will find only a small fraction of these produces in any shop at a given time. Some people religiously recommend some wines without knowing much about it. Purchasing a bottle of wine can be much easier if you stop searching for that one vineyard tirelessly, and instead, start looking for two words, “Imported By”, usually engraved on the bottle. Cracka Wines have a vast collection of imported wines which are auctioned every day.
Wine importers
Wine importers travel to distant lands in search of wine makers. Some of the winemakers hide in small caves producing the wine that probably no one outside their village has ever tasted. Importers are licensed to transport wines into the states, thus availing a variety of wines from the world. Importers handpick the wines they import, which makes imported wines the best.
Imported wines make your shopping more tactical because even if you do not know the winemaker or the region, you know and still trust the importer. However, you should also be careful in selecting the importer as not all are skilled. You can run a quick search on search engines like google and learn more about importers, their clients, and their mission statement.
Master the pattern of the importers’ names
Your best wine may be an imported one, but you didn’t pay attention. If you are keen enough on the importers, you will notice a certain pattern on the names. For instance, Percy Selections and Selection Massale specialise in light-bodied, high acid and low-intervention wines. When you master the pattern of the importers and utilize it, you will change your wine drinking from a guessing game you always lost, to every glass feeling like a Christmas morning.
Different importers have their line of specialization on the wines they import, from natural wines to blockbuster reds to French wines. If you notice that a similar name keeps popping up on your list, know that their wine preference is similar to yours.
Low-intervention wines
Shopping by the importer is the only way to get the low-intervention wines, those produced with organic grapes and made as natural as possible with no chemicals and little or no sulphites. Most of these wines are not visibly advertised that they are natural. Their bottle is similar to other bottles, besides the rare mention of sans source, meaning no sulphur added. The one sure way to confirm that it is a low-intervention wine is by checking the importer because they have a unique style of wines and build their collection around those wines. Some of the importers who present the low-intervention wines such as François and Jenny Selections mainly focus on collecting these types of minimalist wines.
The wine producer attributes to good wine
Most people are advised to purchase wine based on the regions they know or the varietals they like. This is not a bad criterion to use when buying wine, but it disregards the influence of the wine producer. Wherever the grapes were grown or whatever they may be, the outcome depends on what the producer decides to do with them.
Imported wines expose you to a variety of wines
Buying wines by importers makes you explore wines that you wouldn’t have taken before. People like safe bets, thus they prefer to take wines from places they are familiar with and the types they know. However, the safe bets not only deny you the joy and fun of discovery but also the golden opportunities to learn more about wines and your taste. Your life is filled with so many clichés, thus when given an opportunity to experience something new and stimulating, go for it, even if it means purchasing a mysterious bottle of wine.
Tips for choosing wine
- Consider your favorite flavor
Although wines of a varietal have basic characteristics, they have different flavors which arise from the wine-making process. For instance, some merlots have a smoky/char or woody flavor derived from the toasted oak barrels where they are made. Thus, do not write off a varietal because of a bottle you didn’t like.
- Consider the food being served
Full-bodied wines such as merlots and cabernets are recommended when serving rich foods. When serving lighter fare like grilled fish, fruity-style wines like pinot grigio/gris or Sauvignon blancs will be the best option. Complex wines have a greater range of food flavours that enhance or compliment them.
- Consider the time factor
Most of the wines are ready for immediate consumption. However, some of the wines have qualities that could improve and soften if stored for a year or two.
- Do not base your selection on consistency
Even the best wineries do not maintain consistent quality from one vintage to the other. The quality can falter, and therefore, you should taste the new wine before ordering a pack based on the zeal for an old vintage.
Types of wines
Despite the type of wine you choose, wine is more enjoyable when served at the right temperature which brings out its aromas, flavors, structure. The most common wines include red wines, cabernet sauvignon, carménère, grenache/garancha, malbec, merlot, pinot noir, rioja, syrah/shiraz, tempranillo, zinfandel, white wines, albariño, chardonnay, pinot grigio/gris, sauvignon blanc, torrontés, and sparkling wines.
Common regions
Most wine regions are the world’s renowned vacation destination. Some of the top regions are Argentina, Australia, Chile, Italy, California, New Zealand, and Spain.
The greatest challenge that wine lovers have is choosing the right wine for a given occasion. It is quite a task to keep track of the activities going on in the wine industry. You may not be able to keep track of the winemakers which failed to meet the expectations, those that were starred, expert ratings, and vintages. Lack of this knowledge may delude your decision when it comes to purchasing the best wine.
