Wine Tasting Basics

In order to be a true Wino, you have to actually drink wine, right? Believe it or not there are some people who really don’t like wine, I know I could hardly believe it either.  The truth is, most people never take the time to discover what kind of wine they like.  It’s not a one wine fits all kind of deal.  Wine is an individually acquired taste.  With so much to choose from, you have to taste and sample wine in order to discover your personal affinity for this heavenly nectar. 

So how exactly does one taste wine, you ask?  Well I’ll tell you it’s about more than just taking a swig and swirling it around.  Wine tasting is not rocket science, but here’s what you should know:

Color

The color of wine changes as it ages. White wines get more colorful and reds lose color, with age. Some people are naturally drawn to deeper rich color, while others may not care one way or the other. Whatever your preference, what you see often determines how well you will like or dislike something. Young red wine might appear vibrantly purple or burgundy, while older whites may appear amber gold. 

Swirl

What’s with all the swirling?  When you swirl wine, it infuses it with oxygen, opening up the flavor and exposing the scent of the wine. Don’t worry we’ll get to the importance of smell later. Anyway, swirling the wine is like aerating it without an aerator. This will also give you another chance to check out the color and see the “legs” that drip down the side of the glass. 

Smell

What could your nose possibly have to do with taste?  Even though the tongue has over 10,000 taste buds at its disposal, it can still only identify: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami.  But the good old olfactory can distinguish more than 10,000 unique smells!  Holy cannoli! However, the average human can identify about 2,000 odors. Smell and taste are truly a match made in heaven.  Smell allows you to experience and identify complex flavors that the tongue could not decipher alone.  I said all that to say, smelling the wine will enhance your flavor experience.

Tasting

Now this part may seem simple enough, but there is an art to it.  See tasting wine is not just about ingesting it, it’s about experiencing the flavor and essence of the wine. If you just drink the wine, you’re not really tasting the wine.  You have to allow the wine to dance around in your mouth, to get up close and personal with all 10,000 of those taste buds!  

Take a moment to think about the look, smell, and taste of the wine.  Was it mellow or acidic? Full-bodied or flat? What would you like to eat with this wine? When you’ve really tasted wine, you’ll be able to answer these questions and more.

We’re on our way winos!  We’ll be wine experts in no time!  

Suggestions: Blind Wine Tasting Game, Wine tasting samplers from The Tasting Room.

Bottoms up!