Choosing wine can be a confusing task given the amount of options available. So, how does someone just getting started in wine know which to choose?

The first step, as in all purchases, is to know what you like. Being offered the finest Cabernet Sauvignon is of little benefit if your preference is Zinfandel. Therefore, you should first taste each of the different types of wine (Nebbiolos, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, etc.) to decide which you like and which you don't. Having decided on the general type of wine you prefer, you'll then need to look into which wines within that specific type are most agreeable to you.

Pay a visit to your local wine merchant and ask to be shown the section containing the variety of wine that you decided upon. The wine racks should have blurbs on them containing information on the wines. The handwritten notes provided by the wine shop are what you should be most interested in, not any "winery notes" supplied by the winemaker, which are often no more than marketing material.

If there's one free, ask an employee of the store for assistance. Tell them the type of wine you're looking for an
d anything else that is relevant. Don't be afraid to be specific about your likes and dislikes. Based on their wine knowledge and the information you provide them with, they should be able to make suitable recommendations to you. They may even offer tastings to let you sample various wines to determine what your favorite is.

Take down the details of any recommendations that you don't purchase, or of any other wines that take your interest. You can then research them on the internet when you get home or look out for them the next time you're looking through a wine menu at a restaurant. On that point, every time that you go out to a restaurant, remember to take with you a shortlist of wines that you're interested in but haven't yet tried, as it is an ideal time to try out a glass or two of something new.

Finally, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a universally perfect wine. What pleases you personally is all that you should be concerned with. No-one else (whether they be a wine reviewer or shop owner) will have your exact taste in wine. There's no guarantee that you'll like a particular wine even if everyone else seems to love it. Similarly, you may find yourself favoring wine that has been given bad reviews.