Bungalow 1a: Wine Tasting 101: A Quick Guide to Being a Wine Expert

As we begin to pack and prep for our fabulous weekend get away, we are already drooling over all the amazing food and wine we will be having. For those of you who want to learn a little more about wine and wine tasting, here is our go-to guide:

Wine can seem like an overwhelming topic to master that is best left to snotty-nosed sommeliers. But it's much simpler and user-friendly than you might think. With just a few tips and a bit of vocabulary, you'll be talking like a wine expert in no time. Whether you are ordering a bottle of wine at a restaurant or on vacation in wine country, knowing how to properly taste wine is a great way to get the very most out of every sip.

The art of wine tasting is not about drinking the wine. It is about savoring, contemplating and discussing the characteristics of the wine. “Tasting” involves using your senses to evaluate the range of perceived flavors, aromas and general characteristics of a wine.

First off keep in mind that it is all personal. There are no wrong answers. You may taste plum while someone else tastes ash. Just keep tasting and developing your palate and remember to enjoy what you enjoy regardless of what any wine snob tells you.

It's all about the look: Well not really but a appearance and color do tell you a lot about a wine. The intensity of the color of a wine intimates the intensity in flavor you will experience when tasting the wine. Intense, deep color―particularly in a red wine―indicates how full-bodied it will taste. Full-bodied: having richness and intensity of flavor or aroma

Why we swirl: Swirl the glass to release aroma and bouquet, then put your nose just inside the glass and inhale. If you can't detect anything, cover the glass with your hand, swirl, uncover, and immediately inhale. Try to detect the wine's characteristics―is it fruity? Earthy? Floral? Woody? Does it smell good? Is it fruity? Look for the wine’s unique characteristics. Sniff it a second time to see if you get something different from your first sniff. As the wine cascades down the inside of the glass take a moment to observe the “legs” (or tears as the French refer to them) of the wine. An examination of a wine’s legs will give you information concerning its "body". The legs are an indication of the amount of body a wine will have. Younger wines and lighter wines usually very little "leg". Is your wine "light"-bodied or "full"-bodied?

When you sip: Take a small swig and swirl it around to coat your entire mouth so you hit every taste center and get a true sense of the texture. During tasting, consider body and texture, sweetness or bitterness, acidity, tannins, and overall balance. Is the wine lush/creamy or light/crisp? Fruit-forward or smokey and earthy? For red wines some examples of common tastes are– fruity, spicy, woody or smokiness. Flavors that may be found in white wine include fruity, floral, buttery, and earthy. Remember to also concentrate on the wine's "finish"―how long its essence remains on your palate after swallowing. Does it inspire you to take another sip?

Taking the time to consider what characteristics you like and dislike in wine will help to deepen your appreciation for wine and further the enjoyment of your wine experience!

Wine Tasting Terms

Vintage- A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year.
Horizontal Tasting- Tasting wines from the same vintage is “horizontal” tasting. You can compare wines from the same vintage but different wineries.
Vertical Tasting- Tasting wines from a single winery, but from different vintages. “Vertical” tasting emphasizes the differences between various vintages of the same wine type from the same wineries
Blind tasting- the vintage, winery, year of the wine or bottle are not able to the tasters. It is common for the wine to be poured into a separate container before tasting.