If you enjoy having friends or guests over and you believe that every detail is important, then the wine selected to accompany the meal is certainly a topic that you should care about. After all, wine is the drink of conviviality and good-fellowship. If you never thought about it, you might find this a bit tedious or even useless. However, for wine enthusiasts, the process of selecting wines is as exciting as opening a bottle in front of guests

First, you must really know who your guests are. If you already know them, think about their tastes, values, age, where they come from and, most importantly, their interest in wines. If you don’t know them, you may inquire about their tastes and interest in wines. If they do are interested in wines, it’s easier to solve the problem, contrary to popular belief. A great wine connoisseur who knows everything that is produced in Portugal (or in any other region) will be more satisfied if you offer something new to him, instead of a well renowned or expensive wine. If this is the case, a limited edition or a new arrival is a good choice. If you meet someone who describes himself as a “great wine connoisseur”, chances are that this person doesn’t know that much and prefers famous brands shown in wine guides or in the media instead of focusing on quality. For this kind, the better option is to offer them the most famous wine of the moment, notwithstanding the high price. Finally, if they happen to be wine journalists and know every wine in the market, then they’re the ones who should bring the wine!

If your guest is not an expert, this selection might be troublesome as you need to think about several factors. If they’re young, the better option is an easy and very aromatic wine (with slight wooden notes, in case of red wine), low acidity and velvety in the mouth. If they’re older, you could inquire about where they’re from, as with age comes a predilection for wines from their native region. And if they’re arty, take the label and the bottle presentation as meaningful aspects.