Wine tasting is a delightful kind of experience. An adventure, if you will. And it’s easy! Look, sniff, and taste. Start with your basic senses and go from there, and you’ll find yourself tasting wine like a pro.
Look
Pick up your glass, then swirl it around ever so gently. Take a good look at the wine in your glass, it should be around one-third full. Tilt the glass away from you and look at the color of the wine from the rim edges to the middle of the glass. The droplets or streaks of water that you see forming on the inside of a wine glass as you swirl are referred to as “legs” or “tears of a wine.” The more tears you see riding down the side of the glass, the more alcoholic the wine is.
Sniff
To get a good impression of your wine’s aroma, it’s best to swirl your glass for about 10 to 12 seconds and take a quick whiff. Don’t bury your nose inside the glass! Just hover over the top, then take a series of quick, short sniffs. Try to figure out the aroma of the wine – do you smell berries, flowers, vanilla, oak, or citrus? You can tell a lot about the wine based on its aroma.
Taste
It’s finally time to take a taste! Begin with a small sip and let the wine roll around your mouth. Is it sweet, bitter, or salty? You can also taste the texture of the wine. Aside from tasting the flavors, you can also determine if the wine is balanced, harmonious, complex, evolved, and complete.
Now that you know the basics, it’s time to try it out on your own! You can keep a wine journal and take note of your favorites. If you need help with your wine needs and pairings. We offer an extensive selection of wine and liquor. Whether you are looking for a particular wine, or need some ideas for food and wine pairings or planning a party, please contact us.