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| The Art of Wine Tasting |
What is Good Wine? Understanding the Art of Wine Tasting
If you’re not familiar with wine tasting, then you may think it a bit odd when you see someone stare at their wine glass for awhile, sticks their nose in it before sipping, and after a hearty sip, swishes the wine around in their mouth before concluding with comical lip smacking. However, for those accustomed to fine wine and the art of tasting it, this “odd” behavior is all part of a complex judging process to determine if they’re drinking quality wine. There is much more to wine than just drinking it, and connoisseurs understand this. To truly appreciate wine, one must savor it, and not just the taste. A good wine engages sight, smell, and taste, and each of these senses is considered during a tasting.
The Four Basic Components
- Inspecting the wine. To begin the process of wine tasting, the first step is to see the wine. Hold your clear glass by the stem, and swirl the wine around. If you do this while holding the glass in front of a white background, such as a tablecloth, you’ll have a more accurate perception of the wine’s true color. While you’re swirling, observe the intensity of the color. With white wines, color can vary from a light yellow to green, even brown (though this could indicate that the wine has gone bad). Red wines range from pale to deep reds, with some even tinged with brown. Inspecting your wine will help you get an idea of the intensity of the flavor you’re about to experience.
- Smelling the wine. Once you’ve observed the wine, swirl it some more, but this time, put your nose above the glass and inhale. Some tasters prefer to do a quick sniff followed by a deeper one, and others make their aroma judgments based on one deep inhalation. Once you’ve smelled the wine, sit back and concentrate on the aroma. Try to label the fragrance, and see if you can isolate certain scents. Like the initial inspection of the wine, smelling your wine will better your idea of the flavor.
- Tasting the wine. Now it’s time for the really good part – tasting your wine. No gulping allowed here; just a small drink that will coat your taste buds. Let the wine sit in your mouth for a moment until all your taste buds absorb the flavor. Swish it around if you like; some connoisseurs even like to let a little air in their mouth during a tasting to enhance the flavor. After you’ve swallowed your drink, concentrate on the aftertaste in your mouth and note how long it lasts. The finish is just as important as the taste of the wine while it’s in your mouth.
- Judging the wine. Once you’ve inspected, smelled, and tasted your wine, you can make an apt judgment regarding its quality. Evaluations are usually based on certain recognized standards for the type of wine, the region it comes from, and the price of the bottle.
Wine tasting truly is an art form. Some people simply dabble in it, while it’s practically a way of life for others. At any rate, wine is not made just for drinking; it’s created so people can savor the fine flavors and smooth sensations that accompany a quality red or white. So the next time you pour a glass, try out these wine tasting guidelines so you can really enjoy the sensory experience that comes with a fine wine.
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