The Art of Wine Tasting: A Beginner’s Guide to Wine Tasting

At Wiens Cellars, we’re regularly asked to explain wine basics to our tasting room visitors… As a California winery, this happens pretty often. So, in an attempt to properly educate those who are curious, we thought we’d give you a beginner’s guide into the world of wine tasting—an artful exploration that invites you to engage your senses and embark on a captivating journey through flavors, aromas, and experiences. Whether you’re a curious newcomer or a seasoned wine enthusiast, learning how to properly taste wine can enhance your appreciation and deepen your connection with this ancient and complex beverage. As you read through this blog post, we’ll give you a beginner’s guide through the steps of wine tasting, from observing wines like Cabernet Sauvignon to Chardonnay, all while highlighting the subjective and personal nature of this delightful pursuit. So, raise your glass and prepare to unravel the secrets that each bottle of wine holds, as we embark on a sensory adventure like no other!

What is Wine Tasting?

Although it may seem simple from afar, there is both an art and a science to wine tasting; And what better way to experiment than with a glass of your favorite beverage? Simply put, wine tasting is the process of evaluating and appreciating wine by using sight, smell, and taste. It involves observing the wine’s color and clarity, identifying aromas through smell, and analyzing flavors, texture, and overall characteristics while sipping.

Of course, practice makes for the best education in the world of wine, so you must taste often! Bummer, right? But it’s true! Wine tasting allows you to engage multiple senses and decode the intricate layers that contribute to a wine’s character. By systematically observing the wine’s appearance, inhaling its aromas, savoring its flavors, and considering its finish, you gain a comprehensive understanding of the wine’s composition and complexity. Ultimately, wine tasting equips you with the tools to discern and articulate your preferences, transforming wine consumption from a simple beverage into a rich and rewarding sensory experience.

The Five Basic Steps of Wine Tasting

1. Sight

For all types of wine, understanding the visual aspects is a crucial step in tasting, as the color and clarity provide initial clues about its age, grape varieties, and potential flavors. In addition, the “legs” or “tears” in wine, observed as droplets that form and run down the inside of the glass after swirling, provide information about its alcohol content and viscosity. Simple observations such as the hue and intensity observed in the glass offer valuable insights into the wine’s character before even taking the first sip.

When visually interpreting wine, it’s important to grasp the wine glass by its stem to avoid heating the wine with your hand, which could affect its temperature and aromas. Additionally, comparing the following components in all red wines, rosé wines, white wines and sparkling wines are best viewed against a lighter background:

• Color: Color can hint at the variety of wine used, the age of the wine, and even its winemaking techniques. This initial visual assessment helps tasters anticipate the wine’s potential aromas and flavors, shaping their expectations and enhancing their overall appreciation of the wine.
• Clarity: Clarity provides valuable insights into the wine’s purity, quality, and how well it has been processed and filtered. Cloudiness or sediment could suggest inadequate filtration or aging issues, potentially affecting both the visual appeal and the overall taste experience.
• Legs: While often misconstrued as indicating level of quality, the phenomenon of legs is directly related to the wine’s viscosity and alcohol content. Wines with more prominent and slow-moving legs often have higher alcohol content and possibly more glycerol, which can affect the wine’s texture and mouthfeel.

2. Swirl

Why do we swirl wine?

Swirling wine is a common practice in tasting because it enhances the wine-tasting experience by releasing its aromas and oxygenating the wine. Swirling also helps to soften the wine, particularly red wines with tannins, as they can interact with oxygen, mellowing the wine and making it more approachable on the palate.

• Releasing the aromas: Swirling wine exposes a larger surface area of the liquid to the air, causing volatile aromatic compounds to evaporate from the wine and become more concentrated in the space above the glass. This process intensifies the wine’s aromas, making them more noticeable and enhancing the overall olfactory experience when smelling the wine.
• Observing the wine’s body: Swirling wine in the glass helps us observe the wine’s body by creating legs, as previously discussed. By indicating viscosity, these legs provide insights into its overall texture and weight on the palate.

3. Smell

The act of smelling wine, also known as “nosing,” allows us to identify a wide range of scents that contribute to the overall sensory experience. The aromas in wine are derived from various compounds present in the grapes, the fermentation process, and sometimes from aging in oak barrels. To properly smell wine and fully appreciate its aromas, try these steps:

• Position Your Nose: Bring the glass of wine to your nose, tilting it slightly if needed, and place your nose just above the rim of the glass.
• Inhale Slowly: Take a slow, deep breath through your nose. Try to identify the different aromas present in the wine. You might detect fruity, floral, herbal, or even earthy scents.
• Think About Associations: As you smell the wine, try to associate the aromas with familiar scents. This can help you connect the smells to specific flavors you might encounter when tasting the wine.
• Repeat and Reflect: Smell the wine multiple times, taking short breaks between sniffs. Each time you smell, you might pick up different nuances and layers of aromas.

Remember that smelling wine is a subjective experience, and everyone’s sense of smell is unique. Don’t hesitate to trust your own perceptions and interpretations of the aromas.

4. Taste

   

Now comes the part that everyone is familiar with: Tasting. While it may seem as if you have this part down pat, consider the following steps the next time you taste:

• First Sip: Take a small sip of the wine and let it linger in your mouth for a moment before swallowing. This initial sip gives you a sense of the wine’s initial impression on your palate.
• Taste Structure: Pay attention to the wine’s structure
• Sweetness: Notice if the wine tastes sweet or dry.
• Acidity: Identify the level of acidity, which contributes to the wine’s freshness.
• Tannin: Assess the presence of tannins, which create a drying sensation in the mouth, especially in red wines.
• Body: Observe the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth, ranging from light to full-bodied.
• Flavor: Analyze the flavors on your palate, trying to identify different tasting notes like fruit, herbs, spices, or earthiness.
• Aftertaste: Swallow the wine and pay attention to the aftertaste or finish. Notice how long the flavors linger in your mouth after swallowing. A longer finish often indicates a higher-quality wine with more complex flavors.

By following these steps, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the wine’s taste structure, flavors, and how it evolves on your palate from the initial sip to the concluding finish.

5. Savor

Once you taste, it’s important to pause and reflect on what you have savored. Try to focus on these aspects:

• Balance: Assess how well the wine’s components—such as sweetness, acidity, tannins, and alcohol—harmonize with each other. A well-balanced wine will have these elements in proportion, enhancing the overall drinking experience.
• Complexity: Evaluate the wine’s complexity by noting the layers of aromas and flavors it offers. A more complex wine will reveal a range of nuanced scents and tastes, often evolving as you sip.
• Finish: Pay attention to the wine’s finish, which is the lingering aftertaste it leaves in your mouth after swallowing. A longer, satisfying finish indicates depth and quality, allowing you to appreciate the wine’s flavors even after you’ve taken a sip.

Considering these elements as you reflect on the wine’s balance, complexity, and finish will provide deeper insights into its character and help you form a more complete impression of the wine’s overall quality and personality.

Common Wine Tasting Terms

Of course, discussion is inevitable when analyzing the diverse world of wine. It can be intimidating, but rest assured, it’s a lot scarier than it may seem. To start you off, here are 10 common wine tasting terms that will help you navigate the world of wine with confidence:

• Acidity
  • This term refers to the refreshing and lively sensation you feel on your tongue when you taste wine. In the case of wine pairing, wines with higher acidity often pair well with foods, as their brightness cuts through rich flavors.
• Tannin
  • Tannins are compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems. They impart a drying, sometimes astringent sensation in your mouth when you sip red wine. Think of tannins as the backbone that gives structure to the wine.
• Bouquet
  • When you hear someone mention the bouquet of a wine, they’re talking about its aroma. Bouquet encompasses the various scents that arise from the wine due to its aging and fermentation processes.
• Finish
  • The finish is the lasting impression a wine leaves after you’ve swallowed. A long finish indicates a wine with depth and complexity, as its flavors continue to evolve even after you’ve taken a sip.
• Notes
  • Tasters often describe the aromas and flavors they detect in a wine using specific terms like “citrus notes,” “vanilla notes,” or “blackberry notes.” These notes help paint a vivid picture of the wine’s character.
• Oak
  • When a wine has been aged in oak barrels, it can develop flavors like vanilla, spice, or toastiness from the wood. Oak aging contributes to a wine’s complexity and texture.
• Body
  • Wine’s body refers to its weight and texture in your mouth. A wine can be light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied. This term gives you an idea of how the wine feels on your palate.
• Dry
  • A wine that’s described as “dry” has little to no residual sugar, meaning it doesn’t taste sweet. Dry wines are better complemented in food pairings and allow the natural flavors to shine through.
• Elegant
  • An elegant wine is one that’s refined and balanced, with a smooth and harmonious character. It doesn’t overwhelm your senses but rather impresses with its finesse.
• Terroir
  • Terroir is a French term (translated to “land” in English) that encompasses the unique characteristics of a specific vineyard site—soil, climate, topography—that influence the wine’s personality. Wines with a strong sense of terroir express the essence of their origin.

For more wine terms, click here to read our blog post titled: Wine Speak.

Practice, Practice, Practice

When it’s all said & done, preparation will be your biggest support when embarking on your wine tasting adventure. Here are some tips to ensure you have a successful and enjoyable experience:

How to Prepare for a Wine Tasting:

• Research: Spend a bit of time learning about the winery, the wines they produce, and the region they’re from. This background knowledge can enhance your appreciation and understanding of the wines.
• Hydration and Snacks: Stay hydrated and have a light snack before the tasting to keep your palate fresh and your senses alert. Avoid strong flavors that could overpower your taste buds.
• Neutral Scents: Skip strong perfumes or colognes, as they can interfere with your ability to fully appreciate the wine’s aromas.

What to Do During a Wine Tasting:

• Observe the Wine: Start by examining the wine’s color and clarity. Swirl the glass gently to release aromas, and take a moment to appreciate the visual aspects before moving on to smelling.
• Use Your Senses: When you smell the wine, inhale deeply and try to identify the different aromas. Take your time to let the scents unfold.
• Sip and Savor: Taste the wine by taking a small sip and allowing it to linger on your palate. Pay attention to the balance of sweetness, acidity, tannins, and flavors. Let the wine evolve as you hold it in your mouth.

*Bonus Tip: Do NOT be afraid to ask your Wine Specialist or Sommelier for advice. They’re there to help!

How to Document Your Impressions:

• Take Notes: Bring a notebook or use a wine tasting app to jot down your impressions. Describe the aromas, flavors, and any unique characteristics you notice.
• Use Descriptive Language: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your descriptions. Use words like “fruity,” “earthy,” or “spicy” to capture the essence of the wine.
• Rate and Reflect: Assign a rating or score to the wine based on your personal preferences. After tasting, take a moment to reflect on your favorite aspects and what made each wine stand out.

Remember, the wine tasting experience is a journey of discovery, and everyone’s palate is unique. Don’t worry if you’re new to it—practice makes perfect, and with time, your tasting skills will become more attuned to the subtleties of each wine. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned enthusiast, the adventure of exploring different wines can be both educational and delightful. So, gather your friends, visit our winery, or simply open a bottle at home—immerse yourself and any other wine lover in your life in the experience. Savor each sip, and let the world of wine unfold before you in all its nuanced beauty!