Wine tasting tips and wine recommendations

Learn the essentials of wine tasting, discover new wine producers and wine recommendations.

This month we profile one of our Senior Wine Guides: Melanie Reeve

I started at Vinopolis nearly 2 years ago, with a great desire to learn all about wine and Vinopolis was the perfect place to do. I started to gain qualifications in wine (WSET Intermediate - with distinction, and WSET Advanced - with merit). I am currently studying for the WSET Diploma in Wines & Spirits, which takes about 2 years to complete. I'm nearly half-way through!

What has helped me to succeed so far is passion and enthusiasm. This is contagious. We welcome over 120,000 visitors a year at Vinopolis so customer service is paramount. What I enjoy most about my job is sharing my passion for wine with others.

When choosing a wine, consider the occasion and your menu. Our tastes are now much more varied, so some of the original food/wine matching "rules" no longer apply. Good wine need not necessarily be the most expensive. Try a crisp wine with citrus aromas (like a dry Riesling) with a creamy goat's cheese. Think too - Champagne doesn't have to be for special occasions!

Having worked at Vinopolis I am now a lot more discerning about wine than I used to be. Again, a good wine for me is not about finding the most expensive bottle. It is all about the enjoyment, this comes from a well-made, well-balanced wine. In London, I would expect to pay between £7-£15 to find something I'd enjoy. I like to relax, having used what I've learned about wine when choosing the bottle, and assessing the first sample!

Which is the best wine in the world? Well, I'd have to list over 100, and it would probably change again next week! It's such a subjective thing, but I've always enjoyed wine from Chile and have a fondness for their Carmenere (fruity, spicy, tobacco leaf aromas.) This grape variety was originally from Bordeaux, taken to Chile by the French in the 19th century. And I couldn't leave out New Zealand (where my sister moved two years ago) especially wines from Marlborough, where the first vines were planted in 1973! It's all about finding what you like, and enjoying it.

During my time working for Vinopolios, and studying for my qualifications I had the pleasure of visiting the island of Madeira last year (Portugal) and sampling some amazing Madeira wines. These are fortified by the addition of grape spirit, and age by means of heat-treatment. As such, they are virtually indestructible and will not spoil. I was privileged to taste a 1900 Moscatel Madeira with Mr Luis D'Oliveiras at his wine lodge in Funchal. It was bottled around 1976, and was deep balsamic in colour. On the nose, it smelt of rich spice and leather - like bound books in a library. When you swirled the glass, the wine had a gold rim. It tasted very full-bodied and smooth, like rich Christmas cake, with a light black-pepper spice. It seemed to linger forever after tasting. Amazingly, this was not the oldest wine as he also had a range of even older Madeiras available, one dating back to 1850. This retailed for around 600 Euros. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to sample this!

One of the most interesting piece of knowledge I have gained is that the most expensive wine in the world was sold at Christie's Auction House in London in 1985 - a 1787 Chateau Lafite owned by Thomas Jefferson. It raised $160,000.

Wine of the week
Food and Wine Pairing - coming soon
How to Taste Wine