A true Wine Connoisseur (which there are few of) can and will tell you that wine tasting is an art and a science; but we at Wine Lover’s Travel Guide are going to brake it down to the bare essentials.
Wine tasting is a three part process, using three of your senses, sight, smell and taste, or in winery terminology swirl, sniff and slurp. When you taste the wine at a wine tasting you should only pour a small amount into the glass, and grasp the glass by the stem not by the bowl, then you should:
Sight/Swirl – Observe the wine; does it appear to be clear or on the cloudy side. Is the wine rich in color or dull? How deep is the color? Now gently swirl the wine in the glass, slowly moving it around and up the sides of the glass, be sure not to swish it or bump it around. Check to see if there is any sediment left on the sides of the glass.
What you will be looking for is the clarity, hue of the color and the fluidity of the wine. Clues as to the identity of the grape and the age of wine can be revealed by its hue and transparency or opacity. White wines range in appearance from very pale greenish and brightly clear (which is an indication of a young wine) to deep golden brownish and approaching translucence (indicates a well-aged, possibly nectar-like). Red wines range from a brickish red and nearly transparent (indicates older, mellow) to deep opaque bluish-purple (indicates young, brash, tannic). Bright pink rosé or blush wines are often youthful, while orangey-bricky ones are usually past their point of prime drinkability.
Note: Artificial lighting may affect the appearance of the wine. You may want to put a piece of white paper or a white napkin behind the glass to avoid any glare or reflective colored lighting.
Smell/Sniff – Swirling the wine not only allows you to view the color better it allows the wine to give off the aromatic characteristics with greater intensity. Now hold the wine glass just under your nose and inhale the aroma, lower you class and exhale. Repeat holding the glass under you now and inhaling on this time to concentrate on the aroma of the wine it is a good idea to close your eyes while you are inhaling.
What you will want to determine is the intensity of the bouquet, the length or duration of the aroma, and the character of the aroma. In other words does the wine poses an aroma that is rich and stays with you after you inhale and will you remember the aroma when you smell at a later date?
Taste/Slurp – Now take a small sip of the wine and then slightly open the lips, take a breath. By doing this you should taste the wine with your entire mouth. The wine qualities will be tasted at this moment, and also when swallowed.
What is the first impression when the wine first hits your mouth, can you taste the aroma, how long does the taste last and how intense is the taste? Your first impression of the taste, and the aroma, duration and intensity of the taste are usually what you are going to base your likes and dislike on and probably if you are going to drink the wine again.
The longer you pursue your passion for wine tasting the more you will learn about wines and how they are made. As your passion progress you will learn more about “full bodied”, “tannin”, acidity, astringency, the reason for serving some wines cold while others at room temperature, etc.
If you find yourself swirling, sniffing, and slurping a cup of coffee, or can of soda, you are on your way to appreciating wine with a level of expertise and commitment.
Remember when you are wine tasting to be aware of how much you are drinking especially if you are driving.
Remember drinking and driving is against the law.
