“I am not really into wine” was a comment made to me recently. I paused and pondered for a while before responding, trying to figure out what exactly the lady meant by that statement; did it mean that she did not like wine at all or what? After a brief discussion, she agreed that maybe the reason why she is not ‘into ‘ wine is that she has not yet found one that she likes. Most persons’ first experience with wine usually is with very poor wine, sometimes incorrectly stored, or the wine might even be spoilt.

Wine Tastings

The easiest way to ease into the world of wine is to attend as many wine-tasting events as you can. This will allow you to try a wide range of wines at the lowest possible investment. You can begin your wine-buying experiments by selecting bottles that you enjoyed. Typically new wine drinkers prefer sweeter wines, so I usually find that there is a pleasant wine experience if I present wines like an Italian Moscato, a German Riesling, a slightly sweet Vouvray from France, White Zinfandel from California: these are all favourites for new wine drinkers.

American Wine Tasting

A recent wine-tasting event that I hosted featured seven wines from the USA, and was held around the time of the American Independence celebrations. Guests tasted wines made from varietals including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Zinfandel. The producers of these wines were Wente, Mirassou, Rex Goliath and Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull. A number of new wine drinkers were able to taste a range of wines that they might not have bought otherwise.

Jamaica Observer

Food Awards

Today the 12th Annual Jamaica Observer Food Awards is being held on the East Lawn, Devon House. This event is an excellent place to try great wines that will be poured by the main wine importers in this country. It is also the premium food event on the Jamaican calendar where you will be able to taste fantastic food prepared by Jamaica’s best chefs and also some of the top chefs from the rest of the world. This year’s event features the celebrated British chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White.

Please do try to attend; it’s the primary foodie event of the year.

Chris Reckord is an independent wine consultant who operates DeVine Wine Services (Wine and Spirits Edu-tainment) with his wife. Chris & Kerri are also part-owners of Jamaica’s first and only wine bar -Bin 26 Wine Bar. Please send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com . Follow us on twitter.com/DeVineWines