The idea of wine-tasting seems simple enough. If you enjoy wine and youโre not opposed to trying a new kind or two, then itโs pretty self-explanatory, right?
Well, yes and no.
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Wine-tasting in and of itself really is about as simple as it sounds. But still, if youโve never gone before, itโs understandable that you might have some questions. You might even think it sounds daunting: โWine-tasting? Isnโt that for people who drink wine often, or even buy wine often?โ
And well, weโre here with some good news: Itโs anything you want it to be. If youโre looking to explore and learn more about wine, start here. Weโll cover the basics. On the flip side, if you have a bachelorette party coming up that involves a wine tour, but you donโt drink it often and you arenโt sure where exactly to stand, start here. Weโll cover the basics!
Pull up a seat at the bar and letโs talk wine.
1. You donโt have to be an expert.
You just have to know what you like.
And when it comes to your personal preferences, there are no right or wrong answers. We get it: sometimes youโll walk into a winery and there are people swirling their glasses, chatting freely about tasting notes and tannins (what the heck is a tannin, anyway? Weโll get to that later), and you might feel as if you donโt belong. But hey, remember that everyone started somewhere, just like any other activity. Youโll get there too, if you want to, of course. And if not, hey, no pressure. Sample some wine and leave the experience in the past if this is a social situation you have to attend. But really: donโt feel like wine-tasting is only for snobs and experienced foodies. Anyone can sample some wine. As long as youโre 21 or older, youโre golden.
2. You can drink it all or pour some back -- itโs totally up to you.
Youโll likely see containers that look like vases lining the bar or countertop. If you want to pour some wine out, or (politely) spit some back, thatโs what these โspittoonsโ are there for. Itโs not rude or breaking etiquette to use them. You canโt be expected to like everything!
Your pourer, by the way, will likely give you wine samples that are about 1 to 3 ounces, so you can take that information for what itโs worth. If you have a full stomach, youโre OK with that size of a pour and youโre enjoying your wine, drink up! Otherwise, no pressure. Dump it. Which brings us to No. 3.
3. Drink responsibly.
If pouring some wine back in the jar is what you need to do to stay responsible, then thatโs probably your best bet. If youโre hitting multiple stops on a wine tour, please, do yourself a favor: Hydrate, eat along the way and designate a driver. Actually, regardless of whether youโre on a tour, get or hire a driver, if staying under the legal limit is going to be an issue. For a whole slew of reasons, you donโt want to be that drunk person at the winery. Itโs just not a good look. Stay safe, everyone!
4. The pourers/sommeliers (wine professionals) are there to help -- ask away!
Unless youโve picked a particularly crazy time of day to visit or thereโs some similar circumstance, usually these wine professionals are here to chat. They love to share their knowledge, ask you about what you like and help you find the perfect wine. Take advantage of these people. Pick their brains. Ask about the conditions a certain wine was grown in. Or what โnotesโ they taste. (This just means what things theyโre picking up on: smoky flavors, fruits, etc). Snag some recommendations. Sometimes theyโll even offer some free tastes or open a bottle thatโs not on the menu.
5. You could make some comfortable choices, or venture outside the box.
Do you love dry reds? Stick with those and itโs safe to say, youโll likely be a happy camper. Or if you only drink whites, maybe try a flight of bold reds. Again, this experience is whatever you want to make it. Itโs like one of those build-your-own-adventure books. But be confident. Laugh with the pourer if you have no idea how to pronounce โGewรผrztraminer.โ Or if it turns out wine isnโt your style after all, go wander the grounds or split the cheeseboard with your significant other. The winery might even offer beer or soft drinks. Ask!
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6. Sometimes youโll need an appointment, sometimes you wonโt.
With a lot of this advice, itโll come down to specifics: the winery itself, the region, the time of year, etc. But the good news is, itโs 2022, and youโd be hard-pressed to find a winery or tasting room that DOESNโT have a website, phone number, several social media accounts and online reviews. Do your research. Make sure you write down hours (some places are seasonal, too), check on the appointment situation and if walk-ins are welcome, stroll on in and say youโd like to do a tasting. Itโs not always as stiff as youโd imagine. Attire is typically casual and you can stay for as long or as short of a time as youโd like, within reason, of course.
7. Some tastings are free, most are not.
Again, this depends on where you are. You might want to look up this information ahead of time, just so youโre not caught off guard. Keep in mind, there are usually deals -- for example, if you buy a bottle, your tasting fee might be waived. And hey, if you ARE tasting for free, and youโre enjoying your wine, itโs common courtesy to buy a bottle, especially if the prices are reasonable. Tastings can range anywhere from $5 per person all the way up to $50 or so, like if youโre in the Napa (California) region.
8. Sample what the winery or region is known for.
If youโre in Napa, youโre going to be surrounded by cabernet sauvignon. If youโre in upstate New York, the pourers might be raving about the ice wine. Try whatever they recommend. The cab in the Midwest might not be so great, but thatโs to be expected.
9. Want to fit in somewhere a little more upscale?
OK, OK, we know: We said you shouldn't worry about this. But on the off chance you find yourself slightly out of place and you want some go-to moves, we'll lay out the following:
- Pretend your wine is like a scratch-and-sniff sticker -- only you're not actually reaching down and touching it.
- That said, give your wine a big swirl around in the glass.
- Lower your nose to the rim and take a deep breath. All the swirling allows oxygen to enter the wine and become more fragrant.
- Taking a strong whiff of the wine before tasting it, which primes your palate for the flavors that are coming.
- Drink! Talk about what you just experienced. Remember, there are no wrong answers.
10. Donโt automatically assume you have to tip.
This one is almost hard to write, because we get it: It was great service and you want to tip. Just be prepared, your tasting room might accept happily, or you might get turned down.
Authorโs note: Iโve been turned down quite a few times.
Just keep in mind, these arenโt servers at a restaurant who make a low hourly wage because they depend on tips. Sometimes you might even be chatting with the winemaker him or herself. Itโs always nice to offer, especially if youโre with a big group, but you should know itโs not as expected as the 20-25% youโd leave after dinner.
11. Have fun!
This is a cliche tip, but thatโs what youโre there for, right? Just have fun. Donโt stress.
Tannins, by the way, are textural elements that make wines taste dry. (Remember we mentioned these earlier?) Theyโre found in plants, seeds, bark, wood, leaves, and fruit skins, according to winefolly.com. And now you know! You can go Google a longer and more in-depth explanation if youโd like; we just found this one to be the friendliest.
One final authorโs note: Iโm no expert, either. As a person from the Midwest with no prior wine knowledge or experience, I was dropped into many a tasting situation during a four-year stint in Northern California, and felt the โwhat do I do?โ nerves. I eventually came to really enjoy learning about wine, and still consider it a bit of a hobby. Just thought Iโd pass along what Iโve learned!
Any tips or pieces of expertise we left off? Let us know in the comments.