While we would like to think we know a lot about wine, it’s fair to say we can all be a little clueless.

There are easy ways to help you feel more confident when you’re picking out your next bottle of vino.

From knowing food pairings to picking up on the different scents and flavours, this is how you can chose wine like an expert.

1. Know your food pairings

You don’t need to be a real connoisseur to be able to order wine like a pro.

Read up on what wines go with what foods – like red with red meat and white with fish – so you will be able to match up your meals with your vino.

Remember the expression ‘whatever grows together, goes together’ when pairing your meals with your next bottle.

The Faustino I Grand Reserva is best paired with any type of meat, especially oily fish such as cod or tuna. It also works wonderfully with medium-aged cheeses such as Gruyere or Emmental.

2. Don’t trust your measurements based on your glass

While you may think having a glass of wine here and there is fine, it always depends on the size of the glass.

Believe it or not, there are wine glasses out there that can fit an entire bottle, so telling yourself you’ll have ‘just the one’ won’t cut it.

3. Watch out for the percentage on the bottle

One thing to look out for if you’re starting out on wine and don’t want it going to your head is the percentage on the side of the bottle.

Depending on the type, colour and grape, alcohol percentages in wines vary, so it’s worth taking a quick glance at the bottle to prevent any shocks later in the evening.

4. Educate yourself on all of the flavours

Most wines will be prepared with hints of more than just grapes, different wines could be prepared with a particular type of wood or infused with a certain kind of berry.

For example, Faustino age their wines in French (spicy with red berry notes) and American (vanilla notes) oak barrels for 26 months and age further in a bottle before being sold.

The Faustino I Gran Reserva bottle of red wine has a complex nose, with hints of red berries, cinamon, cloves and oak. The current vintage 2004 retails at €26, but is on promotion for end of year for €20.

5. Don’t mix wine

The cardinal sin in the wine world is mixing different types together. If you don’t want to be the subject of whispering at the dinner table – it’s best to be avoided.

Another thing to note is that you shouldn’t mix wine with other types of alcohol. If you’re going with one type of drink – stick with it.

Your head will thank you for it the next day.

6. Know the country of origin

Wines from different countries have different styles of making their drinks and also different flavours to their grapes.

The Rioja region in Spain for example, is where Faustino has been making wine for the last 150 years.

A trusted area famous for their phenomenal wine – Spanish wine is a solid choice. Knowing what region your wine is from will help you to determine the quality of it.

Faustino’s fourth generation of the family business continues to maintain their top quality standard of creating a delicious, widely available wine selection.

By: Hannah Moran

***Grabbed from: http://evoke.ie/food-2/6-wine-tips-every-wine-drinker-should-know