Introduction to the Culture of Wine Tasting

Drinking wine has been a long-standing part of society as we know it. The history of wine dates back to over 3000 years ago, with the oldest winery located In Armenia from 4100 B.C. Today, wine is still a trendy beverage constantly on menus in most social gatherings, restaurants, and bars.

Wine tasting is the sensory analysis of wine. It helps to identify the wine’s taste, texture, and flavor. The tongue, nose, and eyes are all used for the stages of wine tasting; appearance, the aroma of the wine in the glass, sensations in the mouth, and the aftertaste. The four basic ways of tasting wine range from the types of wine tested and analyzed to figure out what you are drinking, its vintage, and the wine’s origin. The four types of wine tasting are horizontal, vertical, blind, and double-blind.

First, horizontal wine tasting is a method that involves tasting wines from various wineries but with the same vintages to decide if you want the wines in the same category or a combination.

A vertical tasting is the opposite of horizontal wine tasting. The wines are from a particular winery but are of different vintages. The environment it grows in affects the vineyard and the grapes it generates each year, and other components modify the qualities of the wines from each year.

Moving on, blind tasting is much different because the wines tasted are all of the same variety that is declared openly beforehand. However, the winery does not disclose information on the origins. On the other hand, super blind wine tasting is more challenging. The wines come from different varieties and vintages, with the bottles enclosed in a bag.

Four essential steps are used in all four tasting methods: see, swirl, sniff, and savor. The first step in all wine tasting methods is to pour the wine into the glass and then tilt and look out for the color and intensity of the wine. After that, swirl the drink to let some air in; you’ll see bubbles forming and settling in the glass. The level of alcohol or sugar will determine how many bubbles form. Proceed to sniff the glass of wine and then take a sip.

Remember to savor the taste of the wine in your mouth before swallowing. Try to keep some air in your mouth while the wine is still there and slurp to really taste its qualities. After all these, it could be either sweet or acidic; what is left is to swallow.

The temperature when the wine gets served affects how it tastes in wine tasting. Colder temperatures intensify acidity and tannins while reducing the aromatics, while hotter temperatures reduce acidity and tannins while emphasizing the aromatics. Thicker wines have deeper hues and are generally more impressionable on the nose, while sweet wines are lusher and leave dense, evident particles on the inside of the glass when swirled.

Wine tasting is more than just sniffing, swirling, and sipping. It’s a whole culture that involves carefully picking a winery, tasting method, and then understanding the wine’s characteristics. Wine tasting is a leading form of leisurely fun that challenges your sensory organs and helps you know what makes each wine peculiar.