So how do you taste wine? You start by looking at it. Usually the pourer
will put between one and one-and-a-half ounces of wine in your glass. You
can hold the glass by the stem or by the bowl; the former grip will keep
the wine from heating up but the latter is a good idea if the tasting room
is so crowded you fear getting jostled.
Lift the glass up to the light and note the color and intensity. Good wines tend to be bright, with the color fading near the rim. You’re looking for clues to the grape variety as well as to the wine’s age. Connecting the color with the wine grape is part of the sensory experience and is likely to help you remember the aromas and flavors better. As for how old the wine is, remember that red wines pale as they age, while white wines get darker.
Tilt the glass to about a 45-degree angle, and sniff the wine once or twice to see if you smell anything recognizable. Next, swirl the wine gently in the glass. Aerating the wine this way releases more aromas. (In rotating the wine, you will appreciate that the portions are so small; otherwise, most people would doubtless spill some of the contents.) This step works with every type of wine except the sparkling kind, because champagne tends to go flat when the bubbles are crushed in the process.
Any aromas in the wine will be more pronounced after swirling. The idea is get your nose close to the liquid and take a short sniff or two. This is a better approach than taking one long inhale. The receptor nerve cells in your nose can pick up every scent and forward them to the brain’s olfactory bulb, but those cells tire quickly so be sure to assess the aromas as quickly as possible. Some experts suggest that you immediately try to associate the way the wine smells with another olfactory memory, in order to retain your impressions. See if the “bouquet” reminds you of something familiar – say, citrus fruit or violets – that will help you identify and remember the aroma.
After a few swirls and sniffs, it is time to taste. While smell plays an enormous role in taste memory, so can “mouth-feel” -- the weight of the wine on your tongue. Is it light or watery? Is it rich like milk? Mentally record these impressions, along with any other impressions – tactile sensations -- such as smoothness or silkiness. Hold the wine in your mouth for a few seconds to give your taste buds a chance to pick up as many flavors as possible. Different wines may carry infinite flavors, ranging from butter to olives, mint to chocolate, pineapple to vanilla, cherry to blackberry, etc.
(If you do not want to drink all the wine in the glass, simply empty the remainder in a bucket provided for that purpose.)
Finally, if you can still perceive flavor well after you’ve swallowed the wine, you can say it has a long finish. And you can be assured that it’s a wine you will remember.
Even if you like the wines you taste, you are not obligated to buy any – especially if you have paid a tasting fee. There is an exception, however: If you ask for a second taste of a particular wine, you are indicating an interest in purchasing at least a bottle of it.
There are a couple of other points to bear in mind when you head out to wineries. If you are traveling with children, it’s a good idea to call ahead to see if there are activities for them at the winery. If you plan to picnic on the grounds and enjoy some wine, be sure to buy it in the tasting room instead of bringing it from another winery. Most tasting rooms will lend you glasses for the occasion.
Marty OImstead is the author of several travel books, including "Hidden Wine Country"(co-authored with Ray Riegert) and the "California Directory of Fine Wineries", all of which are available on Amazon.com.
Photo Credit: The pictures on this page are By Marty Olmstead.