Tutorials

Introduction

Come with me & learn all the wine basics and tricks that I know!

2. How To Pick Clearance Wine

Either give me more wine or leave me alone

Rumi
Picnic day at the lake with an Italian white wine that I got on clearance.

*Fun Fact: Before I started Wine With Wisdom, I spent years drinking clearance wine. I was in graduate school with very little money and a desire to relax, learn about wine, and no longer be the one at the wine table with my experienced friends drinking “juice” because I could not appreciate a full-body Merlot like they could.

So, with a few dollars in my account I started digging through clearance wine at liquor stores, Total Wines, Walmart, Safeway (the HEB* of the Virginia), and Target (rarely because it is expensive). I have gotten a bottle of wine under $3 and enjoyed it just as much if not more than one that I have enjoyed for $30.

So, I know what you’re saying…ok Pauletta of course you can navigate clearance wine because you know what to look for but how do I do that! You follow my Simple Wine Selection Rules and the best part about them is they don’t require any wine knowledge just an understanding of what you like to drink! From Moscato to Merlot, these simple tricks will help you to pick out a great wine from any clearance rack! Give them a try and let me know how it goes!

Simple Wine Selection Rules

  1. Set a budget and maximum bottle number
    • I have purchased 10 bottles on accident before…set an idea first or the clearance section will get you!
  2. Decide if you are looking for a red, white, rose or sparkling wine. Let that choice guide what bottles you look at.
    • Yes, it is ok to be looking for all of them…I do that often!
  3. Recall your favorite type of the wine you selected in #2
    • White – Chardonnary, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato
    • Red – Merlot, Pinot Noir, Malbec
    • Rose – Dry, Sparkling
    • Sparking – Prosecco, Brut
  4. Pick a wine name you are familiar with
    • I highly recommend this because you will have an idea of what you are getting
    • Now if you are adventurous like me, pick a name you have never tried before just to learn something new but know it is a huge risk. It may be the worse thing you have ever had however most of the time it is pretty awesome and unique
  5. The location where the wine is made matters! (Check label on back)
    • Italian wines normally have light and fresh presence
      • Italian wine is my favorite…HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
      • You can almost never go wrong with Italian wine
    • California wine can be a little drier and tart because of tannnins

Please share with me how your next stop in the clearance wine section goes! I want to hear all about your discoveries and if you ever have any questions about wine recommendations or pairings feel free to reach out to me under using the Contact Tab (Instagram is best)! Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to my website so you can always be updated on new post and if you haven’t make sure to follow me on Instagram @alongcamepaulie for more wine fun!

1. How to Pop Champagne!!!

Wine can be a better teacher than ink, and banter is often better than books.

Stephen Fry
Example of how the silver spoon should go into your sparking wine!
Come along & learn some of my sparking wine tricks!!

Steps to Pop Bottles!

  1. Remove paper
  2. Keep silver casket on the bottle
  3. Untwist casket while keeping it on the bottle
  4. Place you hand over the casket and grip tightly
  5. Twist the base until you see the

Wine Review & Tips

Brut Champagne

Rating: 5 out of 5.
  • Dry & Low Calorie
  • Great Mixer with Juices
  • Different from Prosecco which is sweeter

Tips

  • Tilt your glass and pour SLOWLY to allow the bubbles time to go down to avoid spilling
  • Place a SILVER spoon in the top to preserve your sparking wine up to 3 days