When you think of wine tastings, what do you think of? Of course, you think about enjoying wine. But there are five steps you can take to make a wine tasting even better. I’ll discuss those steps here.
Why So Many Steps in Wine Tasting?
We live fast-paced lives, which means we often eat and drink on the run. Is that okay? Sure. But does it give you the full tasting experience. Probably not.
To get the most out of a wine tasting, you want to take your time and delve into the experience. You want to tap all your senses. What are you seeing? What are you smelling? What are you tasting? And don’t forget hearing. Toasting glasses is a big part of a wine tasting.
Having five steps of wine tasting is a great reminder to slow down and luxuriate over each glass of wine.
What Are the Five Steps of Wine Tasting?
Before starting this section, I have to tell you that I used to talk about the four steps of wine tasting: See, Swirl, Smell, Sip. But I now say five. You’ll see why below.
1. See. Riedel talks about the first step of wine tasting, seeing the wine: “The ‘see’ stage involves examining the wine’s color, clarity, and viscosity, all of which can tell us a bit about the wine we’re about to taste. The color of the wine can indicate its age, grape variety, and geography. For example, a young red wine is usually a bright ruby-red color, while an older red wine may have a paler orange hue. A white wine from a cool climate may be a pale yellow, while one from a warm environment may exhibit a rich golden hue.”
Ideally, hold your glass up against a white table cloth.
2. Smell. Binwise tells us that we should “try different smelling techniques. Some people smell with a long, deep inhalation, whereas others use brief, strong sniffs. There’s no right or wrong technique here, only what works for you. You can also use both styles back to back, or use one, take a break, and continue with the other. Smell different types of wine over time and evaluate what gives you the greatest discoveries.”
3. Swirl. The wine has been trapped in a bottle for a long time. WineEnthusiast says that swirling exposes the wine to oxygen, which allows “the aroma compounds [to] become more detectable as they attach themselves to evaporating alcohol as it lifts from the glass. Oxygen also can help to soften harsh tannins on bigger wines, allowing them to become smoother and silkier.” They recommend starting small, keeping the base of the glass on the table.
4. Smell. When you smell wine before swirling, you get a lovely aroma, but it’s typically small and constrained. When you smell wine after swirling, the aroma is much more full.
5. Sip. Put a fairly large amount of wine in your mouth and coat your entire mouth before swallowing.
Wiens Cellars points out that “Sipping the wine involves more than just taking a drink; it’s a deliberate act to assess its taste and texture. Pay attention to the initial impression, mid-palate flavors, and the finish. Note the balance of sweetness, acidity, and tannins, and consider how these elements interact on the palate.”
Wiens Cellars uses a sixth step: Savor. For savor, they talk about the wine’s aftertaste and finish.
If you haven’t tried these five steps of wine tasting, I highly recommend you try it.
Cheers!
