Don't Know Wine? How to Pick a Bottle You'll Actually Like: Tips from a Wine Store in St. Albert

Walking into a wine store in St. Albert and facing hundreds of bottles can feel like a test you didn't study for. You don't need to know anything about wine to pick one you'll enjoy, though. Most of it comes down to two simple questions, a handful of words on the label, and knowing what you'll eat with it. This guide covers all three, and if you're still stuck, there's always someone at City Liquor happy to help.

Question 1: Do you like sweet or dry?

This is the most useful question in wine. Think about what else you enjoy drinking:

• You take sugar in your coffee, like sweet cocktails or prefer cider and coolers. You'll probably enjoy off-dry or sweet wines: Moscato, off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, or a fruity rosé.
• You drink black coffee, like tart flavours or prefer crisp beer. Try dry wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, dry rosé, or most reds.

A quick note on the word dry: it simply means the wine isn't sweet. It doesn't mean harsh or bitter. "Off-dry" means just a touch of sweetness.

Question 2: Light or bold?

The second question is about weight, or body: how heavy the wine feels in your mouth. A good comparison is milk: skim milk feels light, whole milk feels fuller, and cream feels rich.

If you're new to wine, start in the light or medium column. Bold reds have more tannin, the drying, grippy feeling you get from strong black tea, which is an acquired taste for many people.

Put them together: an easy starting chart

How to read a wine label

Labels look complicated, but you only need a few pieces of information:

• Grape or region. Many wines, especially from Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, name the grape (like Merlot). Many European wines name the region instead. A red Burgundy is Pinot Noir, Chianti is mostly Sangiovese, and Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.
• Alcohol percentage. A useful clue to style. Lower-alcohol wines (around 8–11%) are often lighter and sometimes sweeter. Wines over about 14% tend to be riper and bolder.
• Sweetness words. Brut (dry) and extra dry (slightly sweeter, despite the name) on sparkling wine; dry, off-dry, medium or sweet on still wines.
• Vintage. The year the grapes were picked. For everyday wines, you'll want to drink them within a few years of that date.
• "Oaked" or "barrel-aged." Expect vanilla, toast and a richer texture.

Easy food matches

You don't need perfect pairings, just a few reliable rules:

• Match weight with weight. Light food (salad, fish, chicken) goes with lighter wines; rich food (steak, braised meat) with fuller ones.
• Pizza, pasta with tomato sauce: a medium-bodied red with good acidity, like Sangiovese or Barbera.
• Burgers and barbecue: a juicy red like Malbec, Shiraz or Zinfandel.
• Spicy food: an off-dry white like Riesling or Gewürztraminer. Spice makes high alcohol and tannin taste harsher.
• Salty snacks and fried food: sparkling wine.
• Holiday dinners: see our guide to what wine goes with turkey.
• Dessert: pick a wine that's sweeter than the dessert itself.

Shopping for someone else?

Snap a photo of a bottle they enjoy, or tell us what they're cooking, and we'll suggest a few in the same style. If you don't know their taste at all, sparkling wine or a fruity, medium-bodied red are safe choices. Our liquor gift ideas have more suggestions.

Serving it right

Serving temperature can make an ordinary bottle taste much better:

• Sparkling, light whites and rosé: well chilled, a few hours in the fridge.
• Fuller whites: lightly chilled. Take them out of the fridge 15–20 minutes before pouring.
• Reds: slightly cooler than room temperature. A light red like Pinot Noir is lovely after 20 minutes in the fridge.
• Leftovers: recork and refrigerate. Most wines stay good for two or three days.

Keep a note of what you like

The quickest way to learn wine is to remember what you enjoyed. Take a photo of the label of any wine you like (or don't), and jot down a word or two. After a few bottles, you'll see a pattern, such as "I like crisp whites" or "I like soft reds", and that's all you need to say when you shop.

Enjoy it responsibly

A 750 ml bottle holds about five standard glasses. Pace yourself, drink water alongside, eat something, and plan a safe ride home if you're out. Canada's guidance on alcohol and health suggests that less is better.

Visit our wine store in St. Albert

At City Liquor, you don't need to know the jargon. Tell us what you like, what you're eating or who it's for, and we'll walk you to a few good options. Our wine store in St. Albert is at 260-525 St Albert Trail, with free parking, and we're open from 10 AM every day: until 10 PM Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Browse our wine aisle or drop in and ask.