Wine is intimidating. The cult of snobbery around it is so pervasive in pop culture that you can end up feeling like you need a wine guide just to walk into your local wine bar. But all that anxiety is really just in your head! A good glass of wine can feel as unfussy as a pint from any pub if you arm yourself with just a little information.

Instead of hyperventilating over your word choice when you try to describe a chardonnay or panicking when you realise you have no idea what a carménère even is, relax! Our little wine guide will answer all of your burning questions about wine pairing and even wine prices, giving you the confidence boost you need.

There might be dozens of types of wine, but there's a handful that is typically among the most common, so we broke them all down for you below:

How to pair wine with food

To pair wine with food, consider three main things: the course you're pairing it with, the main flavours of the dish, and what you like. Often, sparkling wines and rosés pair with simple entrees, whites pair with seafood, reds pair with red meat, and dessert wines are obvious. But here are a few more tips to help you decide:

• Save sweeter and lower alcohol wines (e.g. riesling, zinfandel) for spicy foods to help balance the heat.
• With lighter meat like pork and chicken, pair your wine with the sauce (e.g. a bold red with a barbecue sauce, chardonnay with a light leek sauce).
• When in doubt, always fall back on what you actually enjoy; don't get a malbec you hate just because it's supposed to pair well with a dish!

How much should a good bottle of wine cost?

Wine prices may vary, but the sweet spot for most casual drinkers is around €7 in shops. Less than that, and it's not that you won't be able to find wines you love, but that it will be harder.

• Many experts say that you shouldn't pay more than €12 per bottle because you're more likely to be paying for the prestige of the label or region than the actual quality.
• Save even more by buying in bulk or subscribing to a wine club that'll ship bottles directly to you.

What are some common wine-tasting terms?

Wine-tasting terms vary and you shouldn't feel compelled to stick to them, but knowing a few can help give you a handle on describing your favourites. Check out the most common terms below:

• Balanced: no note of the wine (acidity, sweetness, etc.) stands out above another
• Buttery: a rich, creamy mouthfeel
• Crisp: a delightful sense of acidity (think crisp green apple)
• Dry: the opposite of sweet in wine terminology
• Jammy: rich fruit flavour often without the drying sensation associated with tannins
• Oaky: notes of oak from the wine's barrel as well as other flavours like vanilla or nutmeg
• Spicy: strong sense of flavours like pepper or cinnamon (think malbecs and syrahs)

This article was originally published on Groupon U.S. and has been edited.

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