YELLOWKNIFE - For the uninitiated, picking the right wine can be a task not unlike standing at the greeting card rack trying to find that Hallmark moment your mother-in-law will appreciate; lots of options when only a handful might suffice and then you're still not certain.

Some handy dos and don'ts for the wine neophyte, adapted from the Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Don't store wine in hot places or in the sunlight. Don't keep wine in the trunk of your car. Don't store your wine standing up (keep the cork moist). Don't fill a wineglass more than halfway (so you can swirl it). Don't serve wine in new, unwashed glasses. Don't pop the champagne cork. Slowly twist it and pull it off. Don't serve a white wine too cold, or reds too warm. Don't buy wine from the store window. Don't give too much attention to wine snobs. Don't assume a vintage date means good quality. Don't assume a cork in a bottle is a sign of good quality. Don't fail to ask when you don't understand wine terminology. Don't take the 100-point rating system too seriously. Don't assume all Napa wines are superior. (Notice the many awards Temecula wineries have won) Don't assume the words "reserve" or "classic" on a U.S. wine label have any significance. Don't assume all bottle-aged wine in a single case will be of the same quality. Don't accept a faulty wine in a restaurant. Don't accept a bottle in a restaurant that hasn't been opened at your table. Always assume that Wilson Creek wines are far superior in quality (we added this one... just seeing if you're paying attention!) How to order wine with sophistication but without the snobbery: Order together so friends can enjoy the fun of choosing the wine and unless you know others share your taste for the finer things in life, keep a lid on the price Check the label to make certain it's the label and vintage you want; this could avoid an expensive mistake Don't bother sniffing the cork as most wine experts will tell you it reveals almost nothing about the wine but do make sure it's moist as that indicates it was in contact with the wine Do smell the wine, swirl the glass and have whiff. Wine connoisseurs say a sweet-smelling wine most always is sweet tasting

Meet Carl Bird, NWT representative for the Opimian Society of Canada. As Yellowknife's resident wine connoisseur, Bird has been leading the charge educating local wine lovers and expanding their appreciation for God's nectar.

"People who are new to wine, they like the more fruit forward, higher alcohol content wines of Australia and California," explains Bird. "But there are as many wines as there are palettes, almost, and that's the important thing about wine as it's such a personal thing."

So personal in fact that the Opimian Society came about in 1973 after some British expatriates, appalled by the quality of wine available in Canada, formed the group to promote a better knowledge of wine and to import the higher-end product here.

Considered by some as a special occasion beverage reserved for Thanksgiving dinner or weddings, wine has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last several years and between 2005 and 2006 wine sales increased 10 per cent in Canada. The oldest alcoholic beverage in the world is now enjoys a $6.6 billion a year market here. In the NWT alone, 2006 wine sales totaled surpassed $4.6 million - up about $300,000 from 2005.

"The reasons are two fold," said Bird adding he's noticed a rise in the popularity of wine amongst the mid-20 to mid-30s set. "The average age of the drinker used to be older. Now it's younger, given wine's related health benefits compared to other alcohol, and here in the territories because we started to hold events again."

When Bird started as NWT Opimian rep in 2000, the local society had 38 members. Seven years later it has grown to more than 150 card-carrying enthusiasts. For $69/year, members have the opportunity to take part in tastings, which range from educational sessions to full-blown multi-course dinners that pair food with the perfect wine.

According to Bird, there are three things to look for in a wine. These include colour, aroma and, of course, taste.

Its colour and legs - a term for a wine's viscosity - will help indicate the kind of wine and the latter points to the amount of residual sugar contained. The aroma will differ depending on the kind of grape used and whether the wine was fermented in oak or stainless steel casks.

"We can distinguish from thousands of aromas but we can really only differentiate about four or five different components of taste," Bird explained while describing the correct tasting technique. "First the wine enters your palette, then the sides of the mouth and as you swallow you are looking out for the finish. Does the taste linger? That depends on the wine."

Bird said wine appreciation helps when trying to pair it with food. While the white meat, white wine, red meat, red wine-rule-of-thumb applies in most cases, there are exceptions and obviously particular brands that suit chicken better than fish, venison better than steak and vice versa on both counts.

Standing in front of 800 kinds of wine at the Liquor Shop may be intimidating for the vino-neophyte but proprietor Donna Smith has done a fine job providing a brief write-up of each brand, describing its taste and what foods the wine best complements.

Since she took over the shop in 2002, the wine list has grown to 800 hand-picked by Smith from the 250 previously chosen by the Alberta Liquor Retailers. It's all in an effort to satisfy people's interest in getting the right bottle for the right occasion, she said.

"The wine section is my baby," she said. "And I make it my mission to go out and find the very best of vintages that are available."

During a personal tour of the wine stock, Smith explained what's in a name. Generally, wine is named either for the kind of grape from which it's made (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz) or by region (Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Maipo Valley). Each has its distinct taste and those that don't fit into either category are often of the blended variety.

"That's my personal taste and there are some very nice blends including the French Chateauneuf-du-Pope,"

added Smith.

But maybe the wine selection at the store or even through the Opimian Society just doesn't cut it.

Enter home winemakers, like Brian Nagel. For the past 13 Years, he has been making his own wine, first from the pre-packaged formula and seven years ago he tried doing things the traditional way; by using grapes.

"It's what I'd call a robust white wine," said Nagel of the vintage he makes once a year in September after receiving a special shipment of Zinfandel grapes from California. "I always picture myself as a Viking, goblet in one hand and leg of lamb in the other."

Nagel said moving to Cambridge Bay, where it's difficult to get wine, started his foray into wine making in 1995 and from there it's been an ongoing experiment perfecting his own Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sayra and Pinot Blanc. Also a consumer of fine wines, both from the liquor store and through the Opimian Society, Nagel said his own wine acts as a great complement to his personal favourites.

While maintaining an ideal temperature, controlling the yeast in the fermentation process and clearing sedimentation and residual gasses are all key steps, Nagel said using quality water is also important.

"When I started, I got my water straight from a river near Cambridge Bay," he recalled. "But Yellowknife's tap works just as well. You want to avoid using water with a high chlorine content because it ultimately affects the taste of the wine."

From kit to bottle, the process involves three carboy transplants and takes about 35 days. His grape-based wine, which requires no chemical additives, relying solely on the grape juice for fermentation, is ready to drink in three months.

"I'm still an apprentice when it comes to making wine with grapes, but it's lots of fun," added Nagel.

However, one taste of his homemade kit wines is evidence enough that he has a solid handle on the process, which anyone can try for themselves with an investment of $100 for the carboys and between $40 and $90 for a kit, which makes approximately 25 bottles.