Zyley – “I’ll have a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.”

Panzer – “Do you have a pink wine?”

Zyley – “Ignore him, bring the Paladin a glass of Pinot Noir.”

Panzer – “No, I like the pink stuff.  Tastes like punch!”

Zyley – “/facepalm”

Wine making has been around since, well… forever (6,000 BC).  It’s a damn shame when individuals don’t appreciate it, or have at the very least, a working knowledge of this civilized staple.

The types of wine we are concerned with are modern types from medieval France.   These come in two main categories.  Red and White.

The three types of Red’s we’ll go over are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.  In general, Cab is the “biggest’ of the Red wines.  Full bodied, Deep Tannins, and lingers on the palette.  In general, Merlot is mellow and complex.  Lighter then Cab, but a middle bodied varietal.  In general, Pinot Noir is light and smooth.  Most likely with fruit undertones.

There are also three main types of Whites to go over.  Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc.  In general, Chardonnay is the heavy hitter of the whites.  Usually having oak undertones with a long finish.  In general Pinot Grigio is crisp with high notes of sparkle.  In general Sauvignon Blanc is fruity with citrus undertones.

I say “in general’ because wine makers can create the wines to fit the best characteristics of that year’s harvest.

When you order wine at a respectable dining establishment, go with  the manager’s recommendation.  You could even go with the Bartender’s favorite.   Servers (Unless you are at an upscale restaurant)  tend to be in high gear and just repeat what they are told to say.  If you can get the manager or bartender to spend some time with you, it will be worth it.

When you find yourself at a retail section of wines go with anything rated 90 points or above.  If the racks don’t have the point ratings, walk to the beer cooler and grab your favorite ale instead.  Next time go to the local wine specialty store and have fun looking at all the different varietals to try.  Remember that there are dozens of different varietals (grapes) out there there that wines are made from.  The above is a good starting point when making your first selections.

Two bottles, 4 glasses, and 4 laptops will make a fun evening of running the new SWToR Flash points.  /cheers