When it comes to picking a wine region, no one's expecting you to know the finer details that set apart French and German whites, for example, but a brief geography lesson goes a long way.

Some countries and regions are renowned for producing world class wines from a particular grape variety or a blend of grape varieties. South Africa, for example, is known for making excellent Chenin Blanc, Clare Valley is a region in South Australia famous for wines made from the Riesling grape variety. 

 A few pointers for your travels:

Look for American wines from Oregon and California's Napa and Sonoma counties;

New Zealand wine is universally excellent; if you want Sauvignon Blanc then go for a New Zealand one;

France's Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne regions produce some of the best wines (and expensive!) in the world;

Your best bet for a good Australian wine is a Shiraz;

South Africa makes some excellent Chenin Blanc.

4.) Pick a year

Contrary to popular belief, age isn't everything when it comes to choosing a wine. While some bottles will approve with age, not all do. In fact, most of the wines available in supermarkets you buy may even worsen.

When someone talks about a wine's vintage, they mean only the year in which the grapes were harvested and the wine was produced. Each year can be different; weather conditions affect grape quality and output. As a result some vintages may be considered better than others.

Most red wines improve with a bit of ageing. However, that doesn't mean you should buy today for a big party in 2011. Usually, wineries don't release their reds until the bottles have aged for two years. So what's for sale on the shelf is usually very drinkable.

On the other hand, most whites and sparkling wines don't need ageing. They're ready to drink right away and can worsen if they're cellared.