Many people are intimidated by wine tasting or think that only the elite know how to taste fine wine. This is, of course, not the case. Anyone can learn how to judge a quality vintage.
The fist thing to learn is that wine tasting may not be the best way to describe the complete process. To really determine the quality of a wine the taster must consider how the wine looks and smells as well.
When looking at a wine it is best to do it in a clear glass and in front of a solid colored, preferably white, background. First swish the wine around in the glass a bit and watch as it runs down the glass. A higher quality wine, one that has been aged longer, will run down the glass more slowly and with fewer rivulets or legs.
Once the wine settles in the glass, take a look at its color. Red wine starts out it's life dark purple. It is only after aging awhile that it takes on the reddish hue. So a good red should be dark red or almost brown. White wines are usually almost clear in their youth and darken with age. A good white should be a rich amber color.
After looking at the wine it is time to smell it. Swirl it in the glass again, this releases more of the aroma into the air, and take a deep sniff. Most find it best to stick their nose right into the glass while sniffing to get a really good noseful of the smell. The type of smell gives a clue as to the age of the wine. Young wines smell clean and fruity. An older one will have the fruity smell combined with an earthy almost animal like smell.
The next step is actually tasting the wine. Understanding how to taste fine wine means knowing that there is more to this step than simply gulping down a mouthful.
Experienced wine tasters do not refer to the taste of a wine but rather it's palate. This term is used to describe the complete sets of sensations experienced while the wine is in your mouth. Breathing in through the nose while sipping will enable the taster to experience the aroma and the taste at the same time.
The last step in the process is to actually swallow the wine. This allows the taster to judge the wines finish, or length of time the taste and smell remain after swallowing. As a rule of thumb, a long finish means an older and thus higher quality wine.
After all of that, it may seem appalling to turn around and spit the wine out, but that is how it is done. Many people find the practice disgusting but for those who truly want to know how to taste fine wine it is a necessary step. It allows the taster to judge multiple wines without their judgment becoming impaired over time. It also keeps damage to the liver to a minimum so that they taster can enjoy fine wines for years to come.
The fist thing to learn is that wine tasting may not be the best way to describe the complete process. To really determine the quality of a wine the taster must consider how the wine looks and smells as well.
When looking at a wine it is best to do it in a clear glass and in front of a solid colored, preferably white, background. First swish the wine around in the glass a bit and watch as it runs down the glass. A higher quality wine, one that has been aged longer, will run down the glass more slowly and with fewer rivulets or legs.
Once the wine settles in the glass, take a look at its color. Red wine starts out it's life dark purple. It is only after aging awhile that it takes on the reddish hue. So a good red should be dark red or almost brown. White wines are usually almost clear in their youth and darken with age. A good white should be a rich amber color.
After looking at the wine it is time to smell it. Swirl it in the glass again, this releases more of the aroma into the air, and take a deep sniff. Most find it best to stick their nose right into the glass while sniffing to get a really good noseful of the smell. The type of smell gives a clue as to the age of the wine. Young wines smell clean and fruity. An older one will have the fruity smell combined with an earthy almost animal like smell.
The next step is actually tasting the wine. Understanding how to taste fine wine means knowing that there is more to this step than simply gulping down a mouthful.
Experienced wine tasters do not refer to the taste of a wine but rather it's palate. This term is used to describe the complete sets of sensations experienced while the wine is in your mouth. Breathing in through the nose while sipping will enable the taster to experience the aroma and the taste at the same time.
The last step in the process is to actually swallow the wine. This allows the taster to judge the wines finish, or length of time the taste and smell remain after swallowing. As a rule of thumb, a long finish means an older and thus higher quality wine.
After all of that, it may seem appalling to turn around and spit the wine out, but that is how it is done. Many people find the practice disgusting but for those who truly want to know how to taste fine wine it is a necessary step. It allows the taster to judge multiple wines without their judgment becoming impaired over time. It also keeps damage to the liver to a minimum so that they taster can enjoy fine wines for years to come.
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