Here's a truth universally acknowledged that everyone loves wine—but nobody loves a wine know-it-all. Keep your jargon to yourself and put all all those weekend wine courses to good use ordering us the best bottle on the list.
Here's how to talk about wine without sounding like a pompous jerk.
Dare to say less.
"Once people get a bit turned on to wine, they think they have to sound erudite. But the people who know the most about wine often talk about it in simple terms," says Mark Oldman, author of the new How to Drink Like a Billionaire: Mastering Wine with Joie de Vivre.
When describing what a wine smells like, please refrain from using the term "bouquet."
"Aroma" will get the job done. Or better yet, just get to the specifics. Here are a couple of hints for what you might look out for as you're smelling: red fruits—like strawberries and cherries—in red wines, and citrus fruits—like lemons and limes—in white wines.
Sam Dangremond is a Contributing Digital Editor at Town & Country, where he covers men's style, cocktails, travel, and the social scene.
