I learn a lot from doing wine tastings. I do them on a weekly basis in stores (not for Vizcaya Wine Imports) and I often have to deal with customers’ perceptions of what is good wine and what is not.
The worst experience is when I’m asked to promote a wine that doesn’t rise to my standard of recommendation. This happened a few weeks ago at a store, where I had to promote three wines for the same label. The cabernet was truly awful. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to taste it before a woman asked me to open a bottle for her to sample. (This happens sometimes as I am setting up my table in a public environment.) The customer loved it. She bought two bottles. I tasted the wine after she left and couldn’t believe how bad it was. Generally, I like to open the reds and let them breathe before offering customers to sample. But even breathing wasn’t going to save this cab.
There was also a red blend, which was a really good all-purpose table wine that I tried to steer the customers to. Those who were familiar with wines understood and I sold a few of those.
The chardonnay was on its last legs — from 2012, it was fading and had a very slight hint of mustiness. (I would later report to the client that they should consider retiring this selection.) Even people who didn’t know what they were tasting knew that something was wrong. Except for one woman who asked me if I would recommend it as a gift to bring to a dinner. The host likes white wines, she explained. I had to be honest — No. I might buy it for myself if it were on sale (you can always cook with white wine if the price is right), but definitely not as a gift to someone.
If you want to buy a wine at modest price to bring to a dinner, call the host and ask what wine they like. It also helps to know what is being served for dinner for the occasion. It’s always better to buy for the style and taste of the host, rather than try to “educate” the host to your own preferences and discoveris. If you can’t ask the host — and you are not familiar with wines, there are these labels that are designed to be reliable. They won’t be masterpieces of wine but you generally can’t go wrong with them — here are some: Mouton-Cadet; Cavit, Gallo Family Classics; Robert Mondavi; La Vielle Ferme. Generally, any wine carried in wholesale by Vizcaya Wine Imports is reliable. That is the advantage of small importers, who are selective about what they sell wholesale. Find out what retail stores carry a particular wine you are interested in.
In buying a gift, try to avoid expensive wines in stores known for cheap products — that wine has probably been sitting (more likely, standing) on the shelf for a while. Of course, all the rules for buying good wine for yourself also apply for gifts: It helps to know what is being served for dinner — white wines for white meat, reds for red meat — or bring a bottle of each; avoid seasonal wines, such as Beaujolais Nouveau; don’t pick up a wine close to the front door of the store; avoid corked wines that are standing up; same for wines that are chilled. Bringing a pre-chilled wine to your party may sound convenient, but you have no idea how long that wine has been in the store cooler — better off chilling the wine in your home fridge while you are getting dressed to go out.
Pre-chilling is most convenient when bringing a Champagne or sparkling wine. They are always a safe bet for dinner parties. Again, it helps to know your host. Does your host usually start the evening with a sparkling wine? Some people like to serve a Cava throughout the dinner. In that case, bring several pre-chilled bottles. You are guaranteed to be the toast of the evening.
Try to attend wine tastings (even those like mine in retail stores) and keep notes to be familiar with what’s good and available when you need it. Better yet, when you find a really good wine, buy a few bottles and store them in a dry, relatively cool place lying down — and get some gift bags sold at the liquor stores, if it’s a special occasion, such as a birthday, that calls for wrapping gifts. But the great thing about wine gifting is you don’t have to wrap it — a good wine to go with any meal is always appreciated as is.
Local state exclusive distributor NY, NJ, FL, CA:
Park Street Imports, LLC
1000 Brickell Ave. Suite 910
Miami, FL 33131
Tel: 305-967-7440
Fax: 305-397-2809
www.parkstreetimportsllc.com
National Importer:
Vizcaya Wine Imports, Inc.
2031 SW 70th Avenue #C16
Davie, FL 33317
Tel: 786-277-6034
For purposes of wholesale promotion only.
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