Wine tasting doesn’t require professional expertise to be enjoyable. With a few simple techniques, anyone can appreciate the nuances of wine and find varieties that please their palate. This guide will walk you through the essential steps of wine tasting, helping you approach the process with confidence.
The Five S’s of Wine Tasting
1. Sight
Begin by examining the wine’s appearance:
- Hold the glass by the stem and look through the wine against a white background.
- Observe the color, which can indicate the wine’s age:
- White wines darken with age: yellow-green → straw → pale gold → deep gold → light amber → yellow-brown → brown
- Red wines lose color over time: purple-pink → ruby → mid red → dark red → brick red → tawny brown
2. Swirl
Gently swirl the wine in your glass:
- This aerates the wine, releasing its aromas.
- Try to coat the sides of the glass, increasing the wine’s surface area exposed to air.
- Swirling mimics the effect of decanting, which is often done before serving.
3. Smell
Immediately after swirling, bring the glass to your nose:
- Take a few short, sharp sniffs rather than one long inhale.
- Look for three main categories of aromas:
- Varietal characteristics (e.g., peppery Shiraz, lemony Riesling)
- Distinct aromas in blended varieties
- Fermentation bouquet (yeasty smells in new whites)
- Maturation characteristics (vanilla or cinnamon from oak aging)
- Be alert for off-putting smells that might indicate wine faults.
4. Sip
Take a small sip and let it coat your mouth:
- Note that many “tastes” are actually perceived through smell.
- Identify the four primary tastes:
- Sweet (tip of the tongue) – from sugars, alcohol, or glycerol
- Sour/Acid (back inner sides of tongue) – gives wine crispness
- Bitter (across the back of the tongue) – often from tannins or oxidation
- Salt (front outer sides of tongue) – less common in wines
5. Savor
Assess the aftertaste or “finish” of the wine:
- Short finish: taste disappears in less than 10 seconds
- Medium finish: lasts up to about 60 seconds
- Long finish: taste lingers beyond 60 seconds
- Consider whether the aftertaste is pleasant or not, which often indicates your overall enjoyment of the wine.
Describing Your Wine Experience
Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of describing wine. Most tasting room visitors are casual drinkers, and it’s perfectly acceptable to simply state whether you like the wine or not. If you wish to expand your wine vocabulary, consider consulting a wine glossary for descriptive terms.
Pronunciation Tips
Wine names can be challenging to pronounce. To boost your confidence, look for phonetic spellings of wine names or consult a wine pronunciation guide. Remember, even experienced wine enthusiasts sometimes struggle with pronunciations, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Conclusion
Wine tasting is an adventure for your senses. By following these steps and trusting your own perceptions, you’ll develop a greater appreciation for the complexities of wine. Remember, the goal is to enjoy the experience and discover wines that appeal to your personal taste. Cheers to your wine-tasting journey!