| Wine tasting is properly known as 'Wine | | | | No quick sniffs. We bring the fragrance into our |
| Degustation'. It is the art of being able to note the | | | | nose with a smooth steady inhale, letting our mind |
| various differences between difference types of | | | | go through the stages of the bouquet with a |
| wine, and even the various differences between | | | | more examining course. |
| the vintages of the same type of wine. | | | | If our nose is still interested then we move on to |
| There are basically two parts to Wine Tasting, | | | | taking a small sip. Just enough to get a taste on |
| first is 'What are we looking for' the second is | | | | our tongue. You will notice here a bit more of the |
| 'How are we looking'. We'll start with the How, and | | | | cautionary tactics in the wine tasting steps, but |
| move on to the What. | | | | there is a bit more benefit really than just making |
| Traditionally the seven steps to sampling wine are: | | | | sure that we didn't miss something painful in the |
| see, sniff, swirl, smell sip, swish, and spit. This is | | | | previous steps before we commit to a good |
| the process we see tasters going through at the | | | | mouthful. Taking in just a taste allows our mouth |
| table and in wineries. | | | | to get a quick preview and some expectations. |
| The first thing we want to do is see that the | | | | There is also the fact that many concoctions, not |
| color of the wine is good. Put some light behind | | | | just wine, taste a bit different when taken in small |
| the glass and look for clarity. Fogginess is a sign | | | | sips rather than mouthfuls. |
| we probably want to be careful with. Rusty colors | | | | So we are still interested, and by this time we are |
| in a white wine are another sign that we probably | | | | sure whether or not we want to commit to a |
| don't want to put it in our mouths. | | | | real taste, so we take in a mouthful. Not only do |
| That might seem a bit crass but let's keep in mind | | | | we take it in, we swish it around like it was |
| what we are looking at here. The act of Wine | | | | mouthwash, letting the liquid coat every part of |
| Degustation didn't get its start at high society | | | | our mouths and gums. Allowing the wine to be |
| dinner tables as a way to see what was good | | | | heated up by our body temperature. Some |
| with lamb, and what is better with beef. Wine | | | | tasters even gargle a bit with the wine, because |
| Degustation came into being as a method of | | | | our taste buds are everywhere in our mouths. |
| deciding what was safe to drink and what might | | | | The last step is spit or swallow. Not much to say |
| be poisonous due to bad storage or aging | | | | about that, but it is a choice to be sure. If this is |
| processes. While today these tasting methods are | | | | the only wine or one of two or three you are |
| less defensive, since modern methods of wine | | | | going to be tasting tonight, swallowing might be an |
| making produce safer wines, some wines you | | | | appropriate option. But if you are at a winery and |
| may get to embrace were bottled 100 years ago, | | | | going through 6 or 7 wines, spitting is probably |
| or even 200. | | | | your best option. Otherwise every wine is going |
| Some red wines are so dark you will be lucky to | | | | to start tasting "swell" and you might as well just |
| see anything through them, but we still want to | | | | have a few glasses rather than try to go through |
| take a look. Some of the more obvious signs we | | | | the steps. |
| want to look for are brown, muddy, orange or | | | | What are we really looking for through all of this? |
| other non-winelike colors. It is not uncommon to | | | | There are many aspects of wine, and each |
| see bits of cork floating in a glass of wine, just | | | | vintage and type has its nuances. There are some |
| try to make sure that it is cork. | | | | over all basics though we can start out with. |
| After our eyes are satisfied, we try our nose. | | | | Oakiness - Some wines have a 'oak' flavor. There |
| Recall that taste is more or less an olfactory | | | | really isn't another way to describe it. You have |
| sense. With practice we can tell a great deal | | | | to taste it, but once you do you can pick it out. |
| about a wine from its perfume. A good whiff at | | | | The flavor is generlly from either from the Aging |
| the very least will give you an impression, or | | | | barrel or oak chips |
| preview of what to expect from the wine when | | | | Sweetness - The process of some wines allows a |
| we taste it. The obvious impressions to look out | | | | greater amount of the natural sugars from the |
| for are: does it smell like wine? Is the overall | | | | grapes (Or fruit) to remain without being |
| fragrance fresh or foul? Anything strange about | | | | processes into alcohol. So a sweetness, and |
| it? | | | | sometimes a fruity taste remains from the |
| Our next step, the swirl, enhances our ability to | | | | amount of residual sugar |
| evaluate the first two steps once more. The swirl | | | | Tannin - A wine stressing tannins would be |
| is to get some of the wine onto the surface of | | | | described most of the time as dry. Tannin is the |
| the inside of the glass. Wines are generally not oily | | | | bitterness from seed and skin of the grape and is |
| or syrupy. The liquid should slide off the side in an | | | | effected by carbonic maceration and Maceration |
| expected manner. Also with the wine spread out | | | | Above all, the real test is Did you like it. Your |
| on the surface, it should be easier to get a better | | | | tastes are just as valid as anyone else's and life is |
| sample of the fragrance it presents. Which is | | | | too short for wine you don't like. Enjoy. |
| what we do now, but this time we inhale it slowly. | | | | |