Wine Tasting 101

Understanding how to taste wines is a practice that will deepen your appreciation for wine, and perhaps even impress some of your friends!  Whether you’re just beginning your wine journey or are a seasoned pro, these tips will allow you to slow down and make wine tasting a true experience.

1.  Look at the wine, noticing the color and the clarity.  Hold your glass in front of  a light colored surface and tilt your glass.  Notice the color of the wine as it stretches from the center of the class to the edges.

• Look beyond the colors red, rose, or white.  Be specific – if it’s a red wine, is it maroon, purple ruby, garnet, brick or even brownish?  If it’s a white wine, is it clear, straw,  yellow, honey, golden or perhaps amber?
• Notice the opacity – is the wine cloudy or clear?  dull or brilliant?  translucent or opaque?  Can you see sediment?  White wines will turn darker and more golden as they age, while red wines become more pale red or brownish with maturity.  Mature red wines may also have sediment in the bottom of the bottle or glass.

2.  Swirl the wine in your glass.  This increases the surface area of your wine and allows the oxygen into the wine in order to release the aromas of the wine.  The more oxygen getting in, the more it’s going to open up and release the tannins, or the bitterness to a wine.

3.  Smell the wine by sticking your nose in the glass and breathing deeply.  What do you notice?  Berries, fruits, herbs, and spices are the typical prominent aromas.  Others scents you may associate with the wine could include leather, earth, smoke, or even steak.  This is the fun part of wine tasting.  There are no wrong answers to this question!  Whatever you smell is part of your own experience with the wine.  The aroma of a wine is an excellent indicator of it’s quality and unique characteristics.  The more scents you can identify, the more you’ll get out of the flavor and the nuances of the wine.

4.  Take a sip of the wine and roll it around over your taste buds.  Then aspirate the wine by pursing your lips and drawing some air into your mouth.  This releases the wine’s aromas and allows the full flavor to reach your senses.

• First, you may notice the alcohol and tannins in the presence of heat at the back of your throat.  The alcohol of a wine will not change with maturity, but the tannins will mellow with age.  Tannins refer to the astringent, bitter compounds found in grape skins or seeds.  In a young wine, the tannins will taste dry or bitter.  In a mature wine, the tannins should taste smooth and silky.
• After the initial taste, the true flavors of the wine should be revealed on the palate and you may notice the same flavors you experienced when you were smelling the wine.
• When you swallow, take note of the finish or aftertaste of the wine.  Is it smooth?  Dry?  Bitter?  Does it last for 2 seconds or 30 seconds?  These are all indicators of the quality of a wine.

5.  Write down what you experienced taking special note of your surface impressions of a wine and how much you liked it.  If you have the opportunity to go more in depth, use the terminology you feel most comfortable with.  These notes are for you to refer back to when purchasing wines to enjoy at your leisure.

Tips to keep in mind:

• The cardinal rule of wine is to drink what you like.  There is no “wrong” way to describe a wine, just as there is no “wrong” wine to pair with a type of food if you like it.
• Don’t worry if your experiences differ from those around you.  Everyone has different tastes and styles.  The purpose of wine tasting is to discover what you like.
• Explore wine country!  Get lost on the backroads following the little blue signs to the next vineyard.  Some of the best gems are the small vineyard tasting rooms operating from a barn or someone’s basement.  At the smaller wineries, the winemaker will often be the person operating the tasting room.  Take the opportunity to chat with these people and pick their brains.  They are full of knowledge and are happy to share their passion with you.  They are even glad to point you to their favorite vineyards down the road.