You don’t have to be an expert to appreciate wine, but sometimes it helps to have some basic tasting tips under your belt. Tasting wine is all about identifying the notes, or aromas and flavors, that come from the grapes and how they are affected by the winemaking process. The better you are at smelling and tasting wine, the more you can appreciate its subtleties, which can give you greater insights into what goes into every bottle. Here are the top 10 tips for tasting wine like a pro!
1) Keep it clean
- Have a clean palate when tasting wine.
- Don’t drink too much wine at once – it’ll make your taste buds numb, and you won’t be able to tell the difference between different types of wines.
- Be honest with yourself about what type of wine you like or don’t like, and stick with the ones that are in your wheelhouse if you’re not sure where that is yet.
2) Don’t get too drunk
When you first start drinking wine, it can be tempting to pour yourself a big glass and drink it as fast as you can. But the best way to learn about wine is by sipping slowly and really smelling the aromas. If you’re not careful, you can get drunk before you have time to notice all the nuances of different wines.
3) Always smell before you sip
Always smell the wine before you taste it. This will help you get a sense of what is in the wine and how it might taste. But, don’t be too quick to judge the wine after just smelling it, because sometimes smells can be deceiving.
Always swirl your wine around in your glass before tasting it. Swirling helps release more of the aromas and bring them up closer to your nose so that they’re easier to detect.
4) Sip, Savor, and Savour
The first step in wine tasting is to take a sip. Sip, don’t gulp. And savor the flavor. A lot of people make the mistake of taking a huge swig or chugging it like they’re drinking water. Resist this urge! As you drink your sample, pay attention to what you’re experiencing: What does it taste like? How does it feel on your tongue? What are you noticing as it flows down your throat and into your stomach? Is there anything about the flavor that stands out for you? How long did you have to wait before taking another sip after swallowing that last one?
5) Dip your chin
-Wine tasting should be done in a dimly lit room. This will allow you to see the wine better without being distracted by any other light source.
-Don’t spit out your wine! Swish it around in your mouth and taste it before swallowing.
-Pay attention to the smell of the wine first, then compare it with what you’re tasting on your palate.
-Don’t get discouraged if you don’t like the first few wines you try!
6) Swirl like nobody’s watching
-Swirl like nobody’s watching. It may seem obvious, but many people don’t swirl their wine enough or at all. The purpose of swirling your wine is to let the different aromas come out and mix with the air.
-Hold it up to the light. When you hold a glass of red wine up to the light you can see how much blood is in it.
7) And swirl again
- Don’t smell the cork. The cork won’t tell you anything about the wine’s taste, and even a whiff of the cork will leave an odor on the wine glass.
- Sip your wine, don’t gulp it. Swirl your wine in your glass, take a sip and then let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.
8) Look at the color
The color of the wine is important because it will give you an indication of how old the wine is and what grapes were used to make it. Light-colored wines are usually young while dark-colored wines are usually older.
9) Listen to everyone else
- Get in the right mindset.
- Focus on why you’re tasting the wine, not just how it tastes.
- Swirl the wine around in your glass before taking a sip.
- Take small sips of the wine (don’t gulp).
- Try not to swallow the wine (this will allow you to smell it better).
10) Most importantly… Enjoy yourself!
A wine tasting is a great way to learn about wines and have fun at the same time. It’s also an opportunity to meet other like-minded people. And by following these top ten tips, you’ll be sure to get the most out of your tasting experience:
