How to start a Wine Collection

Establishing a wine collection can prove very rewarding. Wine is truly unique, with numerous styles and vintages available, making it a natural fit for collecting, as there’s always something new to acquire. In order to help you get started, Ideal Wine Company explains how to start a wine collection.

Learn the lingo

Wine-making is complex and over time, the industry has developed its own language. It is advisable to familiarise yourself with key wine-making terms, such as vintage, terroir and chateau, so you can read wine tasting notes accurately, allowing you to source quality bottles. Visit the Glossary Page on Ideal Wine Company’s official site to learn more about essential wine terminology.

Determine your tastes

There’s no substitute for experience. We would suggest that you taste any wine before you buy it, to determine whether it’s a quality product worthy of your collection. It is also key that you determine what kind of wine you like, before starting a collection, because ultimately, wine is your passion. Otherwise you may buy into wine trends and lose your passion for collecting your favourite tipple.

Read this article in full with Ideal Wine Company.

Which Wine-Related Terms Most Confuse the Average Consumer?

The results of a new survey have shown the Ideal Wine Company team that consumers find certain wine-related terms extremely confusing.

Special language

To become a wine enthusiast is to enter another world. Wine has its own language and you need to understand certain terms to figure out which vintages best suit your tastes and preferences. Some of the words and phrases that are commonly used by wine industry insiders are very specific, so they can be hard to understand if you don’t have extensive knowledge of wine-making.

Consumer misunderstanding

The Drinks Business recently reported that a poll commissioned by Taste4 has indicated that there are certain wine-related terms that consumers just don’t understand. ‘Tart’ – a word used to describe a more acidic wine, led the pack. In total, 32% of respondents didn’t know its real meaning; as many as 11% thought it was used to describe a “cheap, brash wine unsuitable for respectable company.”

Meanwhile, only 23% of respondents understood what the word ‘terroir,’ which is used to describe how environment influences the taste and flavour of wine, meant. According to The Drinks Business just 20% of people questioned by Taste4 knew that when you say “a wine has legs” you’re referring the droplets of wine that form in the glass, which are used to indicate its alcohol content.

Tom Laithwaite of Taste4 commented on the results of the survey. He said: “The way we drink wine has become more casual, informal and leisurely, but the language wrapped around it hasn’t moved with the times. People want to learn more about wine and discover new tastes without being confused or awkward when buying it or talking about it with their friends.”

Wine glossary

That’s exactly why you should check out the Ideal Wine Company websites Glossary Page. It breaks down the vital wine-related terms you need to know to ensure you buy the right Ideal Wine Company product for your tastes and preferences, to ensure you have a fabulous drinking experience!