How to Taste Wine

• Wine Tasting Tips: How to Taste Wine
• Wine Tasting Party Ideas: Pairing Ideas and More
• Wine Tasting Party Themes: 5 Fun Ways to Enjoy Wine

Wine Tasting Tips

1. Taste with your eyes: Looks are more than skin deep when it comes to wine. Hints about the wine can be found in the color.

   Tilt your glass away from yourself so you can observe the color. White wines grow darker with age, while reds become more pale in color as sediment reaches the bottom of the bottle. Even though a wine may look richer in the glass, this doesn't mean it will necessarily taste better. Why? Thicker skinned grapes such as those in Shiraz impart more color than that of a thinner skinned grape, such as in a Pinot Noir.

2. Swirl and Sniff
Swirl the wine slowly once around the glass to observe its viscosity (how thick it is). The more the wine clings to the glass, the more full-bodied the wine will be. Both alcohol and sugar content affect the viscosity of wine, creating a "thicker" wine.

We taste with our noses. The aroma is the most important factor in taste. Take a moment to think about the scent of the wine...what does it remind you of? How would you describe it?

3. Sip and Swish
Take a slow sip and let it roll across your tongue. The tongue and roof of the mouth have taste bud regions that sense a variety of flavors. The wine will express different tastes despending on the region of the tongue the wine comes in contact with. You'll taste sweet and salty notes on the front of the tongue and sour notes of the sides. Give your taste buds a moment to discover the complexity of the wine.
4. Note the Finish
Every wine has a finish, some are fast and others linger. It's commonly thought that the longer the finish the better wine. Note whether the finish is harmonious and what flavor notes you continue to detect.

Plus you can read about my weekly Wednesday wine and dinner party on the dinner party themes page. Wednesdays wine nights are the perfect way to celebrate mid-week!

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