Evenings for Two

Your guide to romance, fine dining and fun in the Triangle, NC.

Wine Tasting 101

Ever wonder what you’re supposed to be doing at a wine tasting when you’re comparing wines?  Here’s are 5 steps that should be pretty easy to remember that may help:

See: Hold your glass against a pale background and consider the wine’s hue and tone. A bright-raspberry red wine typically is light and fresh; an older red wine tends to have a bricklike color.

Swirl: Swish the wine in your glass in small circles to let the air in. It will be easier to pick out the individual smells this way.

Smell: Put your nose in the glass and let the wine’s aromas — perhaps fruit, earth, herbs — suggest themselves to you. If you aren’t getting much, try swirling the glass again with your palm over the top. Release your hand just before sniffing.

Sip: Take a sip and hold it in your mouth. Think about how the wine smells compares with how it tastes. Make sure your sip covers your whole tongue. Also think about it with regard to what your mouth is doing. Is is sweet? Does it make your mouth pucker — that’s tannins. Is your mouth watering — that’s a sign of acid. –is it sweet? sour? smokey?

Savor: Take another sip, swallow and take a moment to think about it. How does your mouth feel? sometimes there’s a lingering flavor on your tongue or in your mouth– that’s the finish.

If you’re feeling industrious you might want to write down what you think. It might help you remember what you like and what you don’t like the next time you’re trying to choose.

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2 Comments

  1. Wow, I learned so much. We do a fun wine tasting with inespensive wines out of plastic cups. But, I now feel like I can be a little knowledgable about tasting. Thank you for taking the time to write this. It is the only one I read, and I don’t feel I need to read any others. You did a great job.

  2. Thank you so much for you kind words. I’m so glad it was helpful. I hope you had a fun evening! -Laura Zavelson