FAQs About Wine

Get Answers to Your Wine Related Questions

The ValleyWineShop.com receives questions from beginners and others interested in getting started in learning about wine. It is my pleasure to help you find the answers in the FAQs below. I encourage you to visit the other pages on this site related to your specific need by using this search tool.

You can also get an answer to your specific question about wines by submitting it using the form below.

FAQs for Basic Wine Information

Question: What type of red wine is the best for a beginner?

Answer: Most beginners tend to like white sweet wines before they move on to dry wines. They don’t need to cost much either. I would try a White Zinfandel (which actually looks pink) or a Riesling, Gewurztraminer and a dessert wine called Moscato. Each of these are whites and vary the amount of sweetness. A good red wine for beginners is Merlot which is not usually sweet but it is easy to drink and goes great with many foods.

Question: What wine can be good for desserts?

Answer: Port is an excellent wine after a meal and some are sweet, all tend to be high in alcohol, around 19%. Ice Wine is very sweet, and expensive, but has some wonderful flavors. A less expensive alternative is Moscato and it is usually lower in alcohol, around 8-10%, usually very sweet and enjoyable after a meal.

Question: What is a good wine to serve with Turkey on Thanksgiving?

Answer: Try a nice Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc. If the meal includes a lot of sweet dishes like candied yams and sweet cranberry relish a Merlot may also work.

Question: What are the Top wineries in Sonoma County and Napa Valley?

Answer: Two of the most popular wineries to visit in Napa Valley are Robert Mondovi and V. Sattui Winery, both near St. Helena. Sonoma County also has hundreds of choices but one of the closest to San Francisco and a delight to visit is Viansa Winery and Kendall Jackson remains a favorite. Another California wine region to visit is the Central Coast near Paso Robles.

Question: What is a good wine under $15 to serve at my wedding reception? Can you help me find a good wine at the supermarket? There is a huge selection and I don’t know where to start.

Answer: There are many good value wines under $10-$15 I wrote a separate page for Best Red Wines under $15 and one for Best White Wines. The wines recommended are generally available throughout the US, have good wine reviews and many times cost less than $10 on sale.

Question: What red wine varietal is relatively affordable and will benefit from a few years' aging?

Answer: Go with a Cabernet Sauvignon and try a few different price points to experiment. A note caution: Do not let the wine get below 40 degrees F or above 80 degrees F otherwise the wine will not age well. Also keep the bottle on its side to keep the cork moist and in a dark place as sunlight will have damaging effects on the wine. Check out my article about wine storage.

Question: What is Sangria wine?

Answer: There is no grape varietal by that name but most popular Sangria recipe includes a light red wine like Beaujolais or Lambrusco. It is a summer treat best prepared in a pitcher with sliced fruit, cinnamon, honey or orange juice and a few ounces of carbonated water. Add ice to a wine glass, then pour. Some variations include the application of brandy or triple sec.

Question: What are some good wine clubs?

Answer: There are three that I have followed closely for several years: California Wine Club, Cellars Wine Club and Gold Medal Wine Club. All of them give the member choices of red or white shipments, have a monthly newsletter explaining the basics of wine about the choices shipped and discounts on purchases if you like a special bottle. All have been around for years and get a great user rating. Full disclosure: Revenues from the ads on this site help offset the costs of maintaining the site.

Beginners Wine Guide
A good place to start learning about wine information for beginners with tips on understanding the basics of serving with food and a list of good red wines.

Wine Calories
There has been a great amount of interest about wine calories and their differences among red, white, and sweet red wine.

Basic Wine Information
Basic wine information. Resource for free wine information about the name of California, Italian, French, and Spanish wines, is hard to come by.

Removing Red Wine Stains
Remove red wine stain from a carpet or clothing the best way. The red wine stain removal can be a source of frustration. Remove using white wine, vinegar or cleanser.

Wine Guide
A wine guide to choose the best wine club to join like a wine of the month club. They are a unique gift item, a discount can make them cheap, and membership is actually a lot of fun.

Wine Serving Temperatures
Here are guidelines about wine serving temperatures you can use to get the perfect wine temperature for whatever red wines or white wine you are drinking.

California Chardonnay Wine
Chardonnay wine information guide for popular and appropriate for wine gift baskets. There are many reasons why it is so popular among wine lovers.

Sonoma County Wines
Sonoma Valley wines are certainly among the best wines from California. Here is basic wine information on the region where you can get a wine club or wine gift basket.

Paso Robles Wineries
Paso Robles wineries on California’s Central Coast should be your next holiday destination. The best of Paso Robles California wineries have developed award winning wine for wine lovers everywhere!

Best Cheap Wines
My best cheap wines list reads like a poster child for the frugal wine drinker. Here budget wines are recommended and don't forget about joining a wine club.

Best Red Wine
What are the top red wines under $15? It is rarely limited to just one. There are so many choices to give a wine gift or join a wine club.

Best White Wine
A list of my my best dry white wine recommendations and wine buying guide with tasting notes. Try of the best wine clubs for more ideas.

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