Any wine lover worth their salt can tell you that a chilled glass of white wine is delicious with fish, while a plum red goes best with steak.
But did you know that now you can also match your favorite drink to your mood or activity?
A study of 2,000 wine experts has come up with the grape varieties they consider best for what’s in your diary, rather than on your plate.
Thus, a medium-bodied Rioja was considered ideal for binge-watching a TV show, while Pinot Grigio won the vote for relaxing after a long day at work.
But in these modern times, there are surely many other occasions when we could use your guidance. Here Bella Battle offers a light-hearted take on some of the perfect pairings for our increasingly exhausted world…
The Florensac Picpoul de Pinet Selección ‘Patience’ has a spicy and acidic taste with a hint of saltiness and costs £19.99
Take the advantage away from the in-laws
The occasion: Your mother-in-law is coming to spend the weekend.
The wine: Florensac Picpoul de Pinet Selection ‘Patience’, £19.99 (wickhamwine.co.uk)
Tasting Notes: Sharp and acidic with a hint of saltiness (reminds you of anyone?), this delicious white from the Languedoc region has seen a surge in popularity in recent years.
‘Picpoul’ means ‘lip sting’ in French, and the wine is so named because of its spicy flavour. You’ll be tempted to give some caustic responses like, “Is that how you iron sheets?” Criticism comes down hard and fast, but patience is recommended. Grab a glass (refill as needed) of this refreshing Patience cuvee.
This dry Sturmwolken Riesling will set you back £7 and is perfect for when you feel like giving the rest of the family spring cleaning.
Aspire a reliable riesling
The occasion: You need the whole family to be by your side to tidy up the house.
The wine: Sturmwolken Riesling, £7 (sainsburys.co.uk)
Tasting notes: It’s Saturday and the dishwasher needs to be emptied, the sheets changed, and every room in the house needs good order.
A reluctant crowd enters who thinks all of the above is mom’s job. You’ll need rigorous discipline and captivating sweetness to get them to graft – it’s time for a German Riesling!
This one is drier, but ‘Sturmwolken’ means ‘storm clouds’. Drink freely and let your children know that bad weather is indeed coming if they don’t cooperate.
A study of 2,000 wine experts found that, in addition to the foods you consume, you can tailor your favorite drink to your mood or activity.
Change the direction of bureaucracy
The reason: you want to make an appointment with the doctor or check your municipal tax.
The wine: Whispering Angel Cotes de Provence Rose, £17.99 (waitrose.com)
Tasting Notes: Silky but with a lingering finish, Whispering Angel is undoubtedly the wine that will help achieve miracles over the phone in the face of mindless bureaucracy. Leave on hold for 20 minutes? Did it tell you that your account doesn’t seem to exist?
Sip big gulps of this refreshing rosé. Mmm, is that grapefruit I can taste? – and use your most persuasive and calm voice to get results in the end.
Co-op’s Australian Lime Tree Merlot is soothing, velvety and like a hug from a warm blanket, and reassuringly affordable at £6 a bottle too.
Feel comfortable with an affordable drink
The occasion: it’s time to open the quarterly heating bill.
The wine: Coop Australian Lime Tree Merlot, £6 (coop.co.uk)
Tasting Notes: Soothing, velvety and reassuringly approachable, the right Merlot is like a hug from a warm blanket.
But then again, a blanket is something you should have reached for in January, instead of routinely turning up the thermostat with a carefree laugh. But now is the time to pay the price: open that envelope with a glass of this comforting Australian red and greet hardship like an old friend.
This £20 Miraval Provence Rose proves that there is no need for sour grapes when such an elegant, aromatic and citrusy wine exists.
When life gives you bitter grapes
The occasion: After months of misery, their divorce finally goes through.
The wine: Miraval Provence Rose, £20 (tesco.com)
Tasting notes: If there’s one thing Angelina Jolie knows more about than divorce (three so far) it’s rosé. She and her ex Brad Pitt bought the 1,300-acre Miraval estate in 2008 and it has since been voted “the most desirable Provence rosé in the world.”
You may not feel so desirable right now, but there’s no need to be bitter. Celebrate your freedom with an elegant, aromatic and deliciously citrusy glass.
A little acidic, perhaps, but let’s not bring your ex’s new girlfriend into this, eh?
When your teenage daughter brings her first boyfriend home, make sure you have this 19 Crimes Sauvignon Blanc within reach.
Keep calm about young love
The occasion: Your teenage daughter brings home her first boyfriend.
The wine: 19 Crimes Sauvignon Blanc, £9.50 (asda.com)
Tasting Notes: All you know about your 16-year-old son’s new boyfriend is that he likes games and got suspended last semester. You want to close the door, but you have to keep a cool head as he lies on your couch with one hand on your precious son’s thigh.
A fresh but smooth Sauvignon Blanc, also defined by direct aromas and best enjoyed when young, is the ticket. 19 Crimes, the name a nod to the transport of British convicts to Australia, should give you the perspective you need.