HOW TO BEGIN ENJOYING WINE

At The Fulton House, we've hosted quite a few couples who have toured our wine cellar and confessed to us that they'd really like to begin enjoying and learning more about wines.

So, based on an article in "The Wall Street Journal," here's our advice for getting off to a good start on your wine adventure.

Set a price limit on a bottle of wine, say $9. Then, go to your neighborhood wine shop or a major grocery store (most of them will have an on-site wine steward until about 6:00 p.m.), and select a dozen bottles of wine that strike your fancy. Pick different varietals from different countries, and never choose on the basis of a cute or colorful label (one rule for Australian wines: if there's a bird or an animal on the label, don't buy it!). Virtually any store offers a 10% discount if you buy a case, even a mixed case, so you can buy wines that average slightly more than $9 per bottle.

Open one bottle over dinner every night (or every other night, or whatever) and sip
the wine or serve it with a meal. Take notes if you like. At The Fulton House, we take notes on all the new wines we savor, so we can tell our clientele exactly what to expect as the bottle is opened.

Forget the discredited adage that white wines go with white meat and fish and red wines with red meat. If, in your opinion, the wine complements the meal, then that's the perfect combination for you.

White wines are usually served chilled (not cold!) and red wines are served at room temperature. Red wines should be allowed to "breathe" (open the bottle and let it sit for 5-10 minutes) before being poured. Forget about decanting, no $9 wine will need the process.

After you've finished all 12 bottles, repeat the exercise. It also can be fun and enlightening to read about the wines you've tried in a good reference volume, like The World Atlas of Wine, a new updated version of which is due out this October.

Finally, plan a trip to Portland for a stay at The Fulton House, so you can take day trips out to the dozens upon dozens of wineries located within an easy drive from us. We're conveniently located to reach all the major highways in a few minutes.