Thankfully I worked at liquor land for a couple of years and so have a rough idea of what sells and people tend to pick. So I stick within the safety of those! I do like the idea of supporting local and think they always make a lovely gift when done

It is SOOO hard choosing wine for friends, or as gifts. Everyone has their own preferences. There are far too many options – I find myself getting overwhelmed at the liquor store. I always just buy the same thing as it never disappoints. No wasted wine or money that way. Although, it means I’m not venturing out or trying new things.

I took a nice bottle of wine to a friend’s house the other night only to be told that they don’t drink wine. I wasn’t sure what to say and it didn’t feel right to take it back, so I said that maybe they could give it to a family member who might like it.

I do agree with these comments, but at the end of the day, drinking wine, and anything else for that matter, is all about your own tastes and preferences. If you like something, drink it. There’s no point trying to impress others if you’re not going to enjoy yourself in the process.

It is funny how we change as we get older! I used to drink the cheapest strongest wine as a young woman/teen and now I like to look a little deeper and try and match it to what I am eating or what I using it in when cooking or what the occasion is.

I love trying new wines and tend to go for the crispy whites in summer as i prefer a cold wine whereas in winter i tend to drink more reds. I agree with this article Australia has some amazing wines and i try to shop local as much as possible. WA has some beautiful wines down Margaret River way and I always love visiting this area.

Buying wine for others can be hard, if you don’t drink yourself these are great tips. But if you enjoy wine I think it’s always safe to buy a cab sav or a merlot as a red and a Pinot Gris or prosseco as a white wine/ sparkly,
Not too strong not to sweet

I have no idea. I’m guided by the bottle and label, are they pretty do they stand out. Then it’s all about the price

I like to choose local (Hunter Valley) wines, especially organic wines.

Great info and guidance on how to select a wine (especially for my in laws!), thank you. There should be a wine quiz for this to take the complexity out of choosing, like those ones that we had in magazines as kids. Good pair days map my preference but I am still learning to identify other people’s profiles from their preferences

I love the idea of being a wine drinker. When I see wine bottles and glasses, and friends all collectively around having some wine it feels and looks luxurious. I really struggle to pair wine with food. I typically once started to eat food with wine, go off the taste.

Such a helpful guide! I love how it makes wine feel approachable, not intimidating. The tips about matching the vibe and supporting local producers really resonate. I try and match the wine style with the menu and decide on a price range before browsing so I don’t get distracted by fancy labels.

I honestly do not know what people see in wine! There are very few that I have ever tasted that I actually liked the taste of. I need something sweet and tasty. I find wine has too much of a boosy taste. I do like a mulled wine though, so obviously there are some exceptions!

Absolutely love this list, it really is all the important factors to consider before making a selection. Knowing your audience is the key for us. I have friends and family on all the appreciation spectrum, some who will appreciate a finer bottle and others who don’t care at all. I’ve learnt to make sure I’m not taking anything too spesh and pricey if it’s not going to be noticed.

I can definitely use some help with wine selection as I’m not a big drinker myself. Although, I do find that everyone has wines that they prefer so I try to cater to what they like. My Mum will drink her red wine with every meal and my sister loves her rose or mascato.

I need all the helps I can get when choosing wine and reading the articles on these pages is keeping me a little more informed. I’ve shown my husband as he usually has the final choice (He’s the one that drinks it more) and he too is heeding the advice.

Some great advice on here. Im generally the person who brings the wine to events and definitely take into consideration people’s preferences, food to be eaten with and the occasion. I try to bring a variety from dry to sweet to please everyone. After a while, you get the idea of what everyone enjoys that makes it easier

Insightful information. Really useful tips. For me, I start by considering the audience and occasion and whether it’s family or friends. Do I want to keep it low key or go all out and impress? Next is budget. I find reading reviews on the liquor website always helps too! Great article!