Not a day goes by that a customer doesn’t ask me for some wine tips. Whether they are looking for something for a special occasion or just an “everyday drinker”, I almost always have the same general advice.
 
First and foremost-and this is critically important with wine drinking-wine is a beverage of pleasure! If you are not having fun, you’re not doing it right.
 
Secondly-this is one to which I personally try and adhere-there is too much great wine in the world to drink the same thing twice in one week. There are so many amazing new wines from every part of the world that weren't even imported into the US 10 years ago. Challenge your taste buds! You can find tremendous quality and value in places like Spain, Argentina, Portugal Southern Italy, and even Washington state!

 
Third-and this probably a bit more regional-us Texans tend to drink our red wines to warm and our whites to cold. If you're going to sit out on the patio and drink a red, go ahead and chill that bottle a bit. It'll help bring out the fruit and cool you down. And with white wine, if you let it come up a bit from fridge temperature the aromatics and mouth feel will be more pronounced.
 
So, come see me for some more tips. With over 7,000 wines to choose from, I know we can have fun picking out wine!
 
Cheers! - Kevin Stein, Marketplace Manager & Wine Authority