Wine Tasting Techniques to Sip Like a Pro
tasting techniques
These common wine tasting techniques will help you hack into the wine scene. Most of these rules can apply for a number of circumstances and some are specialized to just a few occasions. Regardless, knowing the tips and tricks of the trade will help you be taken more seriously at a wine tasting.
Etiquette:
1. Hold the glass by the stem. One stark difference between the wine gods and us mere mortals is simply in the way they hold their glass. Wine is meant to be sipped at a particular temperature. Holding a wine glass by the bowl will warm your wine up to an improper temperature. Holding your glass by the stem will also keep your hands, filled with all sorts of smells and natural oils, away from the top of the glass so you can smell the wine in a more pure from.
2. Do not wear perfume or cologne. Don't be that guy. When you wear your signature scent to a tasting, you are the only thing people will be smelling... and not in a good way.
3. Don't drink to get drunk. Chances are you're here to learn about "wine tasting" rather than Friday night "wine drinking". By all means, Friday night meal times with friends is a spectacular time to let loose, but when considering a traditional wine tasting, you should go for the love of the taste. My rule of thumb is if it’s a tasting, don’t drink to get drunk… if you’re just drinking wine on the patio with your girlfriends? By all means, enjoy yourself!
4. Don't be shy to tell the tasting room personnel what you like. Are you new to wine? Do you want your wine to be approachable? Do you like soft and subtle or bold and vivacious? You don't have to know everything about wine to know that your palate has a preference in tastes.
5. Be open to tasting new things. Maybe the wines presented to you are unfamiliar and maybe you've tasted the variety a million times before. In any case, try it! Tasting pours are usually less then 3 ounces and at most tastings you'll be spitting and dumping your excess wine so why not take a chance and find a new favorite?
The Tasting Process:
Eyes:
After acquiring your glass, take a look at the liquid inside. Tilt your glass at a 45 degree angle over a white surface... or whatever surface provided. (You don't need to bring your own white table cloth.) Examine the color of the wine. Is the wine opaque? Is the color rich and dense? This wine may be from a warmer region or it could be a younger wine. Is the wine translucent? Is the color light? This wine may be from a cooler region.
Here are some items to take into consideration when looking at your wine.
Color (Whites):
Light-Green/Yellow Straw Lemon Gold Amber
Color (Reds):
Purple Ruby Brick/Garnet Orange/Brown
Clarity:
Clear Hazy
Rim Variation:
Is there a distinct color difference between the center of the wine and the rim around the glass? (This could be an indication of age or grape type!)
Swirl the wine in the glass to introduce some air to the aromas and particles. Let the liquid settle and watch the wine's reaction on the glass. These are called the Legs or the Tears. This can be a clue to the alcohol content or sweetness of the wine. More legs = more alcohol.
Nose:
Don't be shy. Stick your sniffer in the glass and take a good, long draw (come on, everyone's doing it). If one long smell doesn't work for you, try a few, short sniffs. First search for faults in the wine? If the wine smells like vinegar or wet cardboard, then you may have gotten a bad bottle. When smelling the wine think of the basics. Can you smell Cherries? Clove? Potting Soil?/Lemon? Grass? Tennis Balls? Is the smell intense? Do you barely stick your nose in the glass and the aroma punches you in the face or do you have to search for it?
Faults:
Does it smell like wet cardboard, vinegar or nail polish? (clues to a faulty wine)
Intensity:
Delicate Moderate Powerful
Fruit (White):
Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit) Tropical (Pineapple, Banana, Melon) Pitted (Peach, Apricot) Orchard (Apple, Pear)
Fruit (Red):
Red (Raspberry, Strawberry, Cherry) Blue (Blueberry) Black (Blackberry, Black Current)
Non-Fruit:
Floral Earth Mushroom Mineral Stone Oak Butter Vanilla Spice Nuts
Sip:
Next, sip the wine. If you so desire take a few sips of air with the wine still on your tongue to really let it reach every corner of your mouth Are the smells confirmed by the taste or do the two differ like night and day? Is the wine sweet or dry? The taste is where you determine your opinions about the wine. Do you like it? Do you dislike it? Why?
Structure: Determining structure in your wine can be incredibly beneficial to your future in choosing bottles. Not a lot of wine professionals are going to be able to help you chose a bottle if you just rattle off tasting notes to them. If you can give your sommelier or sales person a general structure of what you’re looking for they’re going to have much better luck.
Sweetness: (Actual sugar content)
Dry Off-Dry Sweet
Acidity:
Low Medium High
Tannins (Reds):
Low Medium High
Alcohol:
Low Medium High
Finish:
Short Medium Long
The final step is to taste ALL the wine! Enjoy yourself and be open to the experience!
Photo credit: Neville Nels, "Vineyard in a glass"