The world of red wines is an exciting and magnificent world filled with everything from the delicacy of a gentle South African Merlot to the richness of Sangre de Toro, “Blood of the Bull” from Spain. In general, many of the “rules” of wine tasting have been put aside in today’s world, making it available to every person, and with increasing demand supply has followed, allowing for inexpensive and delectable wines available for all.

Yet, there are thousands who feel that the world of wine appreciation is not yet available to them. With so many red wines to choose from, where do you start? How do you appropriately enjoy a red or white wine and with what meals would they go with?

Let’s look at some fundamental tips to getting the most out of your adventure in wines.

You don’t need to spend a bundle of money on a bottle of wine. Set that aside that for later, once you’ve begun to look beyond the brands and varieties that you enjoy. There are so many amazing and tasty wines that are available for less than $12.00 a bottle, that you really should not need to spend more than that for a bottle of wine…at least not yet.

Unless you live in the Napa valley, or another region that is well-known for its wine-making, stick with a wine that is either nationally or internationally distributed.

In the beginning pick a wine that is mainly made from a single type of grape, i.e. a Shiraz, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay etc., Although they can be quite delicious, in the beginning try to avoid blended wines. By discovering the flavors of the various grapes, you’ll better appreciate what it is about the blended wine that you like.

Start with a nice Merlot from USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand or Chile. These vineyards are usually able to balance cost and quality. My reason for recommending Merlot is that of all the red wines, it is probably the gentlest, and complements a broad menu of meals.

Red wine likes to breathe. After opening the bottle, let the wine sit for ten or more minutes. This will allow oxygen to get at the wine and causing it to mature faster. Incidently, pouring the wine into the glasses and letting it sit for ten to twenty minutes also speeds up this process. By taking this approach, you’ll find the flavor will be improved..

Serve red wine at room temperature and white wine chilled. This rule does not always apply but is a good guide, nevertheless. Chilling a red wine will remove many of the intricacies of flavor for which is why you bought the wine in  first place and reduces the wine’s ability to mature with exposure to oxygen.

As I mentioned earlier, many of the “rules” of wine lovers have been put aside, such as the expression “red wine with red meat or pasta and white wine with fish or poultry”. While these are not bad rules, they really are not carved in stone and nowadays waiters and even the seasoned connoisseur will not turn up his/her nose at the guest who requests red wine with fish or enjoys a nice, tart Chardonnay with a hamburger.

While a Merlot can be an ideal accompaniment for a spaghetti dinner, it can just easily sit beside a pork chop or fried chicken dinner. A Merlot is a lovely, down to earth start to your voyage and should open the door nicely to a journey of wine loving.

Try several diverse brands of Merlot from rival vineyards. Make note of the variations in style and clarity. Once you’ve tasted a number of Merlots and are familiar with the differences, move on to a Cabernet Sauvignon and restart your journey. Move on to the Shiraz, Syrah, Petite Syrah or Beaujolais wines once you have a basic appreciation of Merlots and Cabernets, and when you do you will experience  the heavy, aromatic, peppery joy of these stronger red wines. Once you feel like you can recognize the differences of the red wine made from a single grape, start exploring the blends and the other excellent wines that are available. Good luck and enjoy!