Wine Tasting Tips to Look Like a Pro

Wine tasting can be an amazing experience if you are interested in the wine making process, or you just want to enjoy some new flavours- but it can be intimidating to know exactly what to do!

Appreciating the wines you try is a process that can easily mastered and will maximize your overall experience at the cellar door.

It’s all about the senses!

Contrary to popular belief, wine tasting is a multi-sensory experience, not limited to taste.  The first step is to take a good look at the wine you are trying- examine its colour and intensity. Looking at colour can tell you a lot about a wine- deeper reds are going to be fuller bodied, a pink tinge on a white might suggest an interesting blend. Think about how different a light Pino Noir looks to a heavy Cab Sav and take this into account when analysing your wine.

Smell before you taste

Anyone who has seen a wine expert at work will know the first dive into the glass is with the nose! Wine experts will tell you to get up close and personal with your wine and put your nose right into the glass to take a deep breath. Think about what type of notes you are getting from the smell- it is fruity? Earthy? This can be a great way to get ready for the first taste, and you will be more accurate in which flavours you are picking up.

3 Sips Is Key

It’s a staple rule of tasting- take three sips before you give judgement! The palate takes some refreshing with each new wine you taste, and it can be especially important to give it a solid go if you are near the end of a tasting. The first sip is an introduction to the wine, second will give you a more solid understanding of the taste, and the third sip will give you lots to consider.

Starting with these simple tips will help you to look like an expert, and be ready for the full experience of a tasting!