We Asked A Wine Shop Owner What To Buy If You Know Nothing About Wine
Listening to wine connoisseurs talk about all the things that make the boozy nectar superb makes me feel inept. There are a few varietals I enjoy, but ask me about what it means when a wine is mousy or what good legs in wine means, and I'm lost. Thankfully, Paul Zitarelli, a sommelier and owner and founder of Full Pull Wines in Seattle, shared some knowledge about easy-drinking wines for the uninitiated.
For folks who only indulge from time to time, Zitarelli said, "I'd recommend Syrah. Syrah is often approachable, with much softer tannins than Cab or even Merlot, but with more fruit oomph than Pinot Noir." But what exactly makes a Syrah so great, assuming you're talking to someone who doesn't understand the role tannins play in wine? "It's a grape that can definitely express the place it's grown (a 12.5%-alc northern Rhone Syrah is going to drink very differently than a 14% Washington State Syrah), but it's so delicious that if you want to ignore all that, you can just enjoy the wine for its easy-drinking generosity," Zitarelli said.
And are there any other varietals that the wine illiterate might enjoy? "Malbec (especially from Argentina) — lots of dark, delicious fruit, and usually a soft/approachable texture," Zitarelli said. However, if you're looking for something more robust, he recommended "Sauvignon Blanc (especially from New Zealand) — big yummy tropical fruit, big zippy acid, a little kick of greenies (sometimes grass, sometimes jalapeno); never too complicated, but also so reliably refreshing."
Look like you know wine with these varietals
Paul Zitarelli mentioned some terrific wines to sip on if you don't know much about vino, but what if you want to look like you do? Would a Syrah work, or do you need to look for something a little more distinct? "Take a country with a popular wine culture but a region that's a little off the beaten path," Zitarelli said. "So for Italy, ignore Tuscany and buy whites from Alto Adige and reds from Sicily." This strategy implies that you are familiar enough with quality varietals to source from a country acclaimed for its winemaking. Yet, because it's from a specific place many folks won't be familiar with, it suggests you have intimate knowledge of wine from that region.
Still, you can think a little more broadly than Italy. "For Spain, ignore Rioja and buy semi-sparkling Txakolina from Basque Country," Zitarelli said. "For France, ignore Bordeaux and buy whites and reds and rosés from the Loire Valley. And for the United States, ignore California and buy Oregon Pinot Noir."
Sometimes, recognizing what wines not to buy is just as helpful. Zitarelli suggested avoiding "Young Barolo and Barbaresco — really any young Nebbiolo." It's not that they are bad, but they haven't had time to mature into the sippable libations. Zitarelli said, "The wines age beautifully, but when you drink them young, you just end up with astringent, drying, gum-sucking tannins that are the furthest thing from an easy-to-drink cocktail wine."