Singh's nuggets of wine-drinking wisdom

Older isn't always better: Singh compares aging wine to a relationship: If it's good from the start, it only gets better; if it's rocky at the beginning, time makes it worse. Many good wines are meant to be drunk young. "Otherwise, while you're patiently waiting for 'Mr. Right,' you may inadvertently be letting 'Mr. Right Now' get away."

Get over the "Pretty Boy" phase: Nothing's wrong with Chardonnay, but don't you want to move beyond? Singh calls wines like Chardonnay "pretty boys" that "don't ask you to think...Ask yourself, 'Is the thrill still there?'" Later, you'll likely develop an appetite for sophisticates like Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Sangiovese.

"Chill the Cheap Stuff:" Singh says 15 minutes in the fridge helps an inexpensive white wine's "off" flavors disappear, and makes reds "taste earthier and richer."

Wine-saving savvy: If you've got leftover wine, don't just jam the old cork back in. Save the wine in clean, individual-sized iced tea or water bottles (NOT plastic), like those sold by Snapple and Perrier.

Get a grip on gifting: Don't give easily recognized, inexpensive wines as gifts. If you bought it at the corner convenience store, it won't be hard for the recipient to find out how little you spent. Rather, look for highly recommended, obscure budget wines.