Have you been invited to a wine-tasting event? Or you and your friends are planning to explore the world of wine tasting? Or maybe you are a wine enthusiast who is going to attend a wine-tasting event. Irrespective of the situation, wine tasting is a delicate and exciting event. Thus, preparing yourself for it is necessary. Wine is integrated into our culture and has a colorful history. Wine tasting is a part of this culture, which helps you evaluate what wine type you like.
Most people love wine tasting. Yet, some people are better at it than others. The difference is knowledge and experience. You will feel out of place if you don’t know about wine or how to taste it. Thus, to ensure this doesn’t happen, here are a few tips to keep in mind while going for wine tasting.
Use the 4 Ss of wine tasting.
The 4 Ss of wine tasting will help you become a better wine taster. These are:
See
First, notice the wine color, viscosity, and opacity. For example, pour Debortoli Wine into your glass and hold it at a 45-degree angle to see all this. It helps because learning about the color allows you to understand the type of grape used. Noting all this will tell you the age or how heavy/light the wine is. If you are at a tasting, there will be someone to guide you about the same.
Swirl
Swirling is an essential step as it aerates your wine, adding oxygen to it. The subtle aroma in the wine is something you can only smell. When you swirl it, it eliminates all the foul-smelling compounds from sulfites. Thus, you can exactly smell all the ingredients the wine has.
To properly swirl:
.Pinch the glass’s stem (the base) using the thumb & pointer finger.
.Next, draw little circles with the glass still planted on the table.
Smell
First, hold the wine glass at the stem only. Then, take short sniffs of the wine while keeping your mouth open. It is the proper way to smell all the aromas in a wine.
Sip
Don’t chug the wine at the event. Instead, take a sip that is larger than a normal sip. Let it sit in the mouth for five seconds. It will allow you to enjoy and understand all the flavors. Then, swirl the wine inside your mouth and swallow it to savor the taste.
Since you are at a wine-tasting event, you can spit out the wine. There are so many wines to taste. If you don’t want to get tipsy, spit it, it’s an acceptable practice.
Dress appropriately for the event
Wine tasting holds different importance for everyone. For some, it’s an event to determine the best wine for their company. Or to write a review. For others, it’s a fun event to enjoy with their loved ones. However, whatever your reason is for coming there, dress for the event.
That means:
- .Wear dark colors to ensure it hides any spills you make
- .Wear according to the dress code, if any.
- .Wear comfortable shoes
- .For women, carry a purse for your phone, notebook, or anything else. It allows you to keep one hand free for grabbing food or shaking hands.
Remember, there is no wrong or correct answer.
First-timers at a wine tasting event or even at a restaurant are self-conscious. They feel their answer might be wrong. That’s far from the truth.
Wine tasting is all about your palette. If you don’t like wine, it’s fine; speak the truth. You are at the event to know what wine suits your taste.
Eat
Eating before coming to wine-tasting events is a must. Drinking wine on an empty stomach can make you sick. Also, pair your drink with food while at a tasting.
Talk with the winemakers.
At the winery with the event, talk to the makers. Knowing the history of the winemakers will make more sense. Also, take notes to ensure you remember which wine you want and love. You may think you will remember all the details about the wine you loved. However, no matter how little you drink, things can become blurry.
Wine tasting is informational and fun. If you love wine, keep going to wine-tasting events, and you will become a master soon.
