Wine Tasting 101
We’ve heard from y’all that sometimes you don’t know what to do first. Here’s a little tutorial that can get you set up to analyze and get your olfactory senses moving…
How To Taste Wine
Pour a little (not too much!) wine into a clean, fresh glass (beware of soapy dishwasher smells, or dusty glasses that are only used for fancy company…give them a rise!)
Look at what the wine looks like in the glass, the colour, cloudiness, or maybe bubbles if there are any. Colour isn’t everything, though, and looking for the “legs” usually isn’t super helpful in telling you if the wine is going to be tasty or not!
Put your nose in the glass and take a big sniff. Aromas may or may not come to you right away, so swirl, swirl, swirl the glass. Practice with water if it’s a little spilly.
Take a sip, not a big gulp, and hold it in your mouth, swirl it around and breathe in a little (some people gargle like the wine is mouthwash— no need to do this, but whatever floats your boat). This oxygenates the wine and opens it up, as tasting is an extension of smelling. Most of the flavours you taste in wine come through your nose as it's connected to the back of your mouth, so make sure to note how the flavours change or evolve on your palate.
Rinse, repeat, enjoy yourself, and don’t worry if you don’t “get” all the flavours right away. It’s a journey!!
