Online's fine for wine with these tips

BUYING wine online can be just as daunting as walking into a shop. That was the conclusion of a recent article in Decanter magazine. And they’re not wrong. If anything, I find the endless choice, plus variations in the information available, even more daunting. At least in a traditional bricks-and-mortar shop, you can ask for help or pick up the bottle and read the label!

- by Matt Nixson

So here are some tips to get you started. With a bit of practice, you'll find yourself increasingly comfortable buying online. Plenty of independent retailers have great websites — many offering the option to search by styles, food pairings, grapes, regions and countries; this allows you to browse by category and slims down the seemingly infinite choice.

Narrow down your options and stick to things you know when you're getting started.

Some sites also allow you to search by price bands — super helpful when you're on a strict budget — but don’t forget to factor in any postage and packing.

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, take exactly the same steps you would in a shop; read the descriptions and try and match them to your own tastes.