One of the most important factors in a wine's flavor is where it's grown. Today's wines are usually divided between Old World and New World regions. European winemaking traditions developed in countries like France and Italy, with many lending the name of their region to the wine itself — Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne. New World vineyards in places like California and South America expand on, and sometimes break from, those traditions. Every region brings a unique palette of flavors.

Wine grapes are smaller, sweeter, juicier, and have thicker skin and more seeds than table grapes — and each of the thousands of varietals changes the wine dramatically. Reds and rosés come from black or red grapes, while orange and white wines come from green grapes. Some of the most popular varieties lend their name to the wine itself, like Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon. Vintage — the year the grapes were harvested — also matters: wines can taste different from one year to the next based on the growing season.

Tannins are one of the most important elements in a wine's flavor — and one of the most confusing to newcomers. They're antioxidants that naturally occur in the skin, seeds, and stems of grapes, as well as in the wood barrels where wine is aged. Tannins have a slightly bitter taste that can make your mouth feel dry, but they're also a source of a wine's unique flavor and help protect it during the aging process.

Sommeliers describe wine using a few key terms, each like a spectrum with two ends. Sweet versus dry: sweet wines retain natural sugars from fermentation, while dry wines have little to no sugar. Light-bodied versus full-bodied: a fuller wine feels heavier in the mouth, while a lighter one is closer to the weight of water. Tart versus smooth: tart wine has a tangy, acidic flavor, while smooth wine has little or no acidity. You'll also hear about 'notes' — other flavors like oak, citrus, vanilla, or blueberry used to describe what's in the glass.

There's no single right way to choose a bottle. If you don't know where to begin, start by deciding the style you prefer — red or white. Then decide the flavors you want to try: sweet or dry, tart or smooth, light-bodied or full-bodied. That's all you need to choose a great bottle. To go further, you can explore by region, vineyard, varietal, or vintage. Over time, you'll notice what you like — stick with your favorites or keep experimenting with something new.