As a long time drinker and new found wine connoisseur (which I think is French for "drinker"), I have recently figured out an algorithm for purchasing a quality wine.
My first step is to peruse the aisles and try to choose a country's vineyard that I would like to try. Generally I stick with Australians and French wines because those are the physically closest sections to the entrance.
My first step is to peruse the aisles and try to choose a country's vineyard that I would like to try. Generally I stick with Australians and French wines because those are the physically closest sections to the entrance.
Next, I choose a grape. Traditionally, red's go with more full meats and white's find the palate better with fish or chicken, but let me emphasize that a white needs to be chilled and isn't chilled at most wine distributors, whereas a red is ready to rock right out of the bag. Among the reds, I'm a fan of the thicker, fuller, volumetrically larger bottles and tend to go with those.
The final step is, unfortunately, really more of an art than a science, and although I can describe the basic formula, some of the inputs require significant practice. Essentially, I take a look at the name of the winery, and then of the particular label of that wine, I take the hilarity of either (or both, if it's a really good wine, like Benzinger's Moose Shoot) and multiply* that by the inverse of the price. High score wins.
*Note: There is no real math involved. I mostly go, "Moose Shoot? That's pretty funny. 11 bucks? That's pretty cheap. Donzos".
*Note: There is no real math involved. I mostly go, "Moose Shoot? That's pretty funny. 11 bucks? That's pretty cheap. Donzos".