| Wine Tasting Etiquette | | | | geographical demographics, type, and more. Some |
| As wine tasting is considered to be a very | | | | flights include up to 50 glasses of wine to be |
| sophisticated practice there is a specific etiquette | | | | tasted. |
| you have to follow. This etiquette should remain | | | | This gives a taster an idea what types of wines |
| the same whether you are at a vineyard, a wine | | | | come from certain parts of the world and more. |
| tasting private party, or in a restaurant. | | | | You can also get a good idea of the different |
| When you have a wine tasting party you should | | | | tastes of the different types of wines when you |
| only invite the amount of people that you can fit | | | | taste wine through a flight. |
| comfortably in the room you want to have your | | | | Old World versus New World Tasting |
| party. A crowd may be intimidating. You do not | | | | Many people enjoy this type of wine tasting. The |
| want any of your guests to feel like they are | | | | Old World according to wine enthusiasts is |
| being rushed when they are pouring a glass or | | | | considered to be countries like France, Italy, |
| tasting the wine. | | | | Austria, Spain, etc. The New World is North |
| Always be sure to have bottled water on hand | | | | America, South America, South Africa, New |
| when you are having a wine tasting. This allows | | | | Zealand, and Australia. |
| your guests to rinse their mouths out between | | | | The reason these countries are considered to be |
| tasting different wines. If you have just tasted a | | | | the New World is because they are new to the |
| very heavy wine you must have water ready for | | | | wine producing industry and late starters. |
| the guests. If you do not then their next tasting | | | | However, these countries are significant in |
| may be tainted due to the heaviness lingering in | | | | producing wines. |
| their mouths. In addition, water is good because | | | | Many people like to feature the same types of |
| guests will get thirsty and they need to drink | | | | wines from the old and new worlds to determine |
| something other than the wine. | | | | which they like better. Some people like to do a |
| When you have a wine tasting it is important to | | | | horizontal or vertical method with this also. There |
| provide foods for your guests. However, you also | | | | are many ways to mix it up so you can make |
| want to be sure to have food on hand that will | | | | your wine tasting successful. |
| not change the way the wine tastes in any way. | | | | Wine and Cheese Tasting |
| The best snacks to have on hand include | | | | There are many different palate influences that |
| unflavored things like bread or unsalted crackers. | | | | cheese has when you drink a particular wine. |
| Decanting | | | | When you taste specific wine combinations |
| Some people practice decanting before they | | | | properly you will understand how well cheese and |
| serve wine at a wine tasting. This is very | | | | wine really do go together. |
| controversial to many different wine enthusiasts. | | | | The best way to serve a Cabernet sauvignon is |
| Decanting is the process of letting wine breathe | | | | with blue cheese. All you need is just a little. You |
| before you serve it. | | | | might serve the blue cheese with an unflavored |
| Some people let their wine breathe for a few | | | | French bread also. The blue cheese acts by |
| hours before they serve it. However, decanting is | | | | coating the mouth and laying a foundation which |
| not just letting your wine breathe but it is when | | | | will soften the wine and make it taste very good. |
| you pour your wine into a completely different | | | | The best way to test this is by taking a taste of |
| container to allow the breathing. Some people | | | | the wine first. Wait a minute. Then take a bite of |
| even apply a special filter when decanting to | | | | the cheese and take another drink. You will see a |
| remove bitter sediments that might have formed | | | | big difference. |
| in the wine. | | | | Wine and Chocolate Tasting |
| Younger bottles of wine benefit more to an | | | | Chocolate and wine can go together if you do it |
| aeration process than the older bottles. However, | | | | right. Some people completely disagree but this is |
| the sediment is more common with the older | | | | because they do not know how to pair up the |
| bottles. Many people say that airing out the bottle | | | | two together. When you drink wine with |
| can relax the flavor of the wine, making them | | | | chocolate it is important to be sure the wine is as |
| taste smoother. The wine might have better | | | | sweet as the chocolate you are serving. If you |
| integration. However, all wines do not benefit from | | | | have a wine that is not as sweet as the |
| this method. Some wines are meant to drink | | | | chocolate it will cause the wine to taste very |
| immediately after popping the cork from the | | | | sour. |
| bottle. | | | | If you want to serve lighter wines at a wine |
| The best way to tell if you need to let a bottle of | | | | tasting with chocolate it is best to stick with |
| wine air out or be decanted is to taste it first. As | | | | chocolates that are lighter also. For instance, the |
| soon as you pull the cork off of the wine bottle | | | | white chocolates are the best with the lighter |
| you can tell by tasting if it needs to air out a little. | | | | wines. A white zinfandel will go very well when |
| Blind Tasting | | | | you pair it with a chocolate that is bittersweet. |
| The best way to hold a wine tasting is by blindly | | | | Priceless Tasting |
| serving the wine to your guests. This means that | | | | Priceless wine tasting is not telling the guests how |
| you do not want the guests to know what you | | | | much the bottle of wine costs. If you have |
| are serving to them. You might want to serve | | | | several bottles of wine you don't want to let |
| the wine in a black wine glass. However, the | | | | anyone know the price of the wine. When guests |
| guests should also not see the shape of the | | | | know what the price of the wine is their |
| bottle of wine nor should they ever see the label | | | | judgment is tainted. Never reveal the price of the |
| on the bottle. | | | | wine. |
| You never want a wine taster's judgment to be | | | | If you feel you must tell the guests the price of |
| altered because they know specific details of a | | | | the wine, be sure you tell them after the tasting |
| certain wine. Certain considerations that can alter | | | | is over. This is because it is a natural perception |
| a taster's judgment about wine include the price, | | | | that an expensive wine is superior to a wine that |
| reputation, color, and the geographic region the | | | | costs a low dollar amount of money. This may be |
| wine came from. | | | | true in some circumstances but it isn't always the |
| People have expectations about wine when they | | | | case. You don't want assumptions to be made |
| know these considerations. If a wine is very | | | | before the wine has been tasted or it will ruin the |
| expensive or comes from a certain geographical | | | | wine tasting. |
| region some people tend to have expectations of | | | | Price point Tasting |
| the different varietals. Eliminating expectations of | | | | The price point tasting method is very similar to |
| the tasters allows a wine tasting to go smoother | | | | the priceless tasting. However, you will use wines |
| and the scores of the wines will be more | | | | that are in the same price range when you serve |
| accurate. | | | | the wines. The important factor is to establish a |
| Vertical Tasting | | | | baseline for the dollar amount and stick to it. |
| When you have a vertical wine tasting you will | | | | Big 8 Tasting |
| have one varietal of wine from the same vintage. | | | | A Big 8 tasting includes a wine tasting of the |
| This means you might have the same wine from | | | | different varietals of the Big 8 wines in a tasting |
| different years; 1999, 2000, 2001, etc. The most | | | | flight. The big 8 wines include red and white wines. |
| common purpose of tasting wines like this is to | | | | The red wines included in the Big 8 are Cabernet |
| get a good idea of a certain wineries style and | | | | Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and Merlot. The |
| composition. You can also get an understanding | | | | white wines included in the Big 8 are the |
| how the different weather patterns affect grapes | | | | Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot, and the Sauvignon |
| during certain years. | | | | Blanc. |
| Horizontal Tasting | | | | This is a great way to have a wine tasting if your |
| When a horizontal tasting occurs you will use the | | | | guests don't know the differences with the |
| same wine from many different producers. This | | | | different varietals. They can work their way |
| type of tasting will allow you to determine which | | | | through the wines and find out for themselves |
| wineries you think produce the better wine. This | | | | what each of the wines taste like and the |
| wine will be from the same year and the same | | | | differences. |
| type of wine but from different wineries. | | | | This is a fun way to learn about the wines. When |
| Tasting Flights | | | | you have newer wine tasters this might be the |
| When you hold a tasting flight you will have many | | | | first type of wine tasting you want to have at |
| glasses of wine out for the tasters to test. Next | | | | home. This way, the next wine tasting you have |
| to each glass of wine you will have a card | | | | your friends will know what to expect with the |
| including the specifics of the wine; winery, | | | | different blends of wine. |