Wine tasting can seem intimidating. Seeing images of people swirling glasses, hearing descriptive words such as earthy and jammy, and trying to understand what a tasting note even is, might seem overwhelming, but I promise you, it is not as difficult as it may seem. Don’t get too hung up on the “rules” that you think you need to know about wine tasting, but rather, make it an experience to learn from.
Wine tasting, at its core, is about engaging your senses. Paying attention to how a wine looks, smells, feels, and tastes. A proper wine tasting can be done at a vineyard, a winery tasting room, or even from the comfort of your own home. Learning a few basics of wine tasting can transform your future wine tasting experiences and leave you excited to learn about the many varieties of wine available.
The Five S’s of Wine Tasting
The five S’s of wine tasting is like a cheat code. This little trick is a very easy way to remember the steps of wine tasting. These steps – see, swirl, sniff, sip, and savor – are each a way for your senses to interact with the wine.
See
Once the wine has been poured into your glass, hold it at an angle against a white or light colored surface. Take note of the color and clarity. The shade of wine often hints at the age of the wine. White wines will become more golden with time, while red wines tend to shift toward a more brown or brick shade.
Swirl
I’m sure you’ve seen a thousand videos of people swirling their wine glass. There is a reason for this. Swirling increases the oxygen contact, which releases the wine’s aromas. Pay attention to the walls of the glass while swirling. The tears or “legs” running down the inside of the glass will give you an idea of the wine’s alcohol or sugar levels. Alcohol rich liquids tend to cling to the walls of the glass. The legs, however, do not give an indication of the quality of the wine. To swirl your glass, hold the glass by the stem or the bottom of the glass and gently rotate the glass in small circles.
Sniff
One of the most important aspects of wine tasting is aroma. To complete this step, place your nose slightly into the glass and inhale deeply. This is where you may detect notes of fruit, floral, spices, or even earthy notes in the wine. Note that this step is completely personal. Our senses are not the same as anyone else’s so there are no wrong answers in what aromas you pick up.
Sip
Now that we have completed the first 3 steps, it’s time to taste the wine! Don’t just down it though, let’s take it slowly. Take a small sip of your wine and let it cover your entire mouth. Note the initial impression on your palate, how those flavors evolve and how the texture feels. Does it feel light and crisp? Does it feel full bodied or maybe velvety?
Savor
After swallowing your sip of wine (or spitting, as some choose to do), pay attention to the finish. These are the flavors that linger. A short finish is one that disappears quickly, while a long finish means that the flavors develop and stay with you longer (typically several seconds).
Understanding Wine Flavors
When discussing wines, or even reading a wine menu, you’ll often find vocabulary such as fruity, floral, herbal, spicy, earthy, etc. What do these words mean as far as flavors go? What types of wine are likely to have these specific flavors? Let’s discuss:
Fruity
Okay, this one isn’t so hard. When you hear fruity, you’ll be expecting to taste notes of apples, pears, peaches, berries, etc. These wines are often the easiest wines to enjoy for beginners.
Floral / Herbal
Flavor notes such as lavender, mint, rose, and herbs will often be found in white wines.
Spicy or Woody
The spicy or woody descriptor can often be found in wines that are aged in oak barrels. These can be red or white wines.
Earthy
Some wines (often red varieties) tend to take on flavor notes of the soil in which they are grown. This can bring out flavors such as mushroom, tobacco, leather, etc.
Final Thoughts
See? Learning the basics of wine tasting is really quite simple and shouldn’t leave you feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. Wine tasting is an invitation to slow down, engage your senses, and enjoy yourself. With just a little practice, you will feel more comfortable and confident each time you taste. We highly encourage you to embrace the wine journey, keep exploring and trying new wines, and most of all, savor every sip.
Now that you know the basics of wine tasting, come check out our tasting room and give our wine flight a try! We change our flight menu each month, so there is always something new to taste!