Guide to Wine : All You Need to Know About Wine

Every day there will always be people who want to know about wine, because it's more than just a drink. Wine is a culture, an art, and a science all in one bottle. Whether you're a curious beginner or someone who wants to refine your palate, understanding wine can be both exciting and a little overwhelming. DYOW has created a guide to wine for you, until you have the knowledge to enjoy wine with greater appreciation and ease.

What is wine and how is wine made?

Wine is fermented grape juice. While grapes are the most common fruit used, wine can be made from other fruits like apples, berries, or plums. Wine has many varieties because it is made from a variety of grapes, each type of wine has unique aromas, flavors, and characteristics. The fermentation process will change the natural sugars in grapes into an alcoholic drink, creating wine which is a beloved beverage until now.

The winemaking process known as vinification, involves several key steps: harvesting, crushing and pressing, fermentation, aging, and bottling. Grapes are picked either by hand or machine at peak ripeness, typically in late summer to early fall. For crushing and pressing, there are differences depending on the type of wine. For red wine, the grapes are crushed and left to ferment with their skins, while white wine is usually pressed right away to remove the skins before fermentation.

For fermentation, you can use the natural method or add yeast to convert the sugars in grape juice into alcohol. This can take several days to weeks, depending on the wine type. Wine may be aged in stainless steel containers, oak barrels, or bottles. Once aged, the wine is filtered. Some wines are meant to be consumed young, while others benefit from further bottle aging.

Guide to wine : wine varieties

Wine comes in many different varieties, but falls into five main categories: red wine, white wine, rosé wine, sparkling wine, and dessert/fortified wine. Each type is made from a different grape variety and offers unique flavors, textures, and food pairings.

1. Red wines

Made from dark-colored grapes, red wines get their color and tannins from grape skins, which are fermented with the juice. Best Served is slightly below room temperature (about 60–65°F or 16–18°C).

2. White wines

Made without grape skins, with typically lighter and crisper. Best Served is chilled (about 45–50°F or 7–10°C)

3. Rosé wines

Rosé is made from red grapes but with limited skin contact (just a few hours), giving it a pink hue. It can be dry or slightly sweet. Best served is well chilled (about 45°F or 7°C).

4. Sparkling wine

Wine with bubbles, made from carbonation or natural fermentation, great with food and often associated with celebrations. Best served is ice cold (about 40–45°F or 4–7°C).

5. Dessert & fortified wines

Wines fortified with a spirit like brandy to increase alcohol content. Best served is cool to slightly chilled.

How to choose the right wine for our preferences?

Choosing the right wine according to your preferences does not have to be intimidating. When you can understand your flavor preferences, you can enjoy and learn to identify wines. Start by thinking about other things you like, for example, do you prefer sweet or dry drinks? If you want sweet drinks, you can choose wine with sweeter flavors, and for dry drinks you can try Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet Sauvignon with less sweetness.

Wine Gifts Guide : Reasons Why Wine Makes A Great Gift

The important thing about guide to wine is matching wine to the occasion. If you want to serve wine as the star of the dish, during celebration you can choose Sparkling wines like Prosecco or Champagne. For dinner party, consider wines that pair well with any food like Chardonnay or Merlot. And for casual sipping, you can choose approachable wine like a Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine pairing basics

The next guide to wine is pairing basics. This is suitable for beginners who want to feel more confident choosing the right wine for any meal. Wine and food pairing is all about balance. Look for a combination that enhances both the flavors and the wine.

• Match intensity

If you want to serve light dishes like seafood and salads, you can choose light wines, while hearty foods like steak or stew go well with bold wines.

• Match or complement flavors

If you want to enhance fruity dishes, you can serve fruity wines. For grilled or roasted foods, you can choose oaky or spicy wines, while earthy wines like Pinot noir pair well with mushrooms or game meats.

• Consider acidity

High-acid wines can cut through fatty or rich foods such as cream-based sauces or cheese, also go great with tomato-based dishes.

• Go sweetness

For spicy or salty foods, you can use sweet wines to complement the spiciness and saltiness of the dish. Or if you want to serve Thai or Indian dishes with heat, sweet wines are a good pairing for it.

• Bubbles or Rosé

If you are in doubt because of too many wine choices, you can choose sparkling wines and rosé because they are safe options, extremely food-friendly from their acidity and bubbles, versatile pairing for a wide range of foods. These wines are also great with fried food, salty snacks, or sushi.

Customized wine for gifts

DYOW stands for Design Your Own Wine, the best place to create unique wine gifts with engraved bottles and wine accessories, can be packaged with a gift box that matches any occasion. With us, you will get personalized wine gifts that create beautiful memories - for you and everyone on your lists.

Even if you are new to wine, Design Your Own Wine gives you the opportunity to choose the right product to be used as a gift, with customize options on the wine label, or change it completely with your choice of design, starting from name, portrait, date, quotes, or any design that you want.

We use hand engraving, machine engraving, and laser engraving, every bottle and wine items are hand made by our "masters" with decades of experience. The production process only takes 1 week, most items have next day delivery upgrade service as well.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact our customer service immediately for complete information about design, samples, and shipping policy. We can't wait to make the best wine gift you'll ever give.