(The take out) - It happens so often—you’re on the way to a party and stop at the wine store, only to be flummoxed by the endless rows of labels and varietals. Wouldn’t you love to be the person who shows up at the party with an awesome bottle that no one’s ever heard of before, for under $20? Instead, you’re likely just to grab a familiar, uninspired choice (people always like pinot noir, right?). Often, I grab a bottle from a shelf that only has one or two left, surmising that other people have spotted a deal, so I should also.

This led me to wonder: If you’re a wine noob, is it possible to judge a bottle solely by its label? Are there tell-tale signs that would nudge us in the right direction? Should we just stick to varietals we know we like? Or regions? (I swear there was a time when I liked all sauvignon blancs from New Zealand’s Marlborough region, until my palate decided they were too acidic and now all I can do is chardonnays.) How important is that Wine Spectator score? Should we look for certain words? Like “bright”? Or “velvety”? “Smoky”? What?