Wine tasting can be an intimidating experience, even for those with a refined palate. However, learning to taste wine properly and recognize its unique flavors is possible.
It's important to understand the five main types of wine. Red wines are still wines made with black grapes, such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. White wines are still wines produced from white or occasionally black grapes, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Rosé is also still wine but produced from black grapes or by blending white and reds. From dry to sweet, sparkling wines come in red, white, and rosé varieties. Lastly, dessert wines can be either sweet or dry, like Sherry.
The "five S's" of wine tasting refer to the five stages of evaluating a glass of wine. Start by giving the wine a good once-over to assess its color and clarity. This is the "sight" stage. The next step is to "swirl" the wine in your glass to aerate it and release its smell. Then, take a good whiff of your wine to appreciate its aromas. Now it's time to drink; do so slowly and deliberately to allow the liquid's flavors to develop on your tongue. Finally, swallowing will enable you to fully appreciate each sip's intricacies on your palate.
When swirling your glass correctly, two key points are to remember: grip and motion. Hold your glass by its stem instead of its bowl to avoid transferring heat from your hands into the liquid itself (which would alter its temperature). As for motion, begin by making small circles with your wrist before gradually increasing their size until they become larger loops (about 6-8 inches across). Make sure not to move your arm too much while doing this; if you do, some liquid may spill over the rim.
When that is complete, the next step is to smell it. This whiffing practice is essential for understanding how certain wines taste. A good trick for beginners is to cover the glass with one hand while bringing your nose close (but not touching) and taking deep breaths through your nose. Once familiar with some common smells, try connecting them to more specific aromas like strawberry, blackberry, honey, and more.
The next step is to taste it. Start by taking a moderate size sip to swish around some in your mouth without overwhelming it with flavor. Swirl the small amount of liquid inside your mouth before swallowing it, and pay attention to words like dryness, sweetness, or bitterness. The balance of these flavors will change depending on the grape variety utilized, which is why it's so fascinating to investigate the commonalities and differences between wines from various areas.
Once you have mastered basic wine-tasting techniques such as sight and smell, it's time to experiment with food pairings. Different kinds of wine tend to go better with certain kinds of food than others. For example, red wines are better with meats, while fish or vegetables are better with white wines.
Additionally, specific flavor profiles may work better together than others; sweet wines go well with spicy foods, while acidic wines pair nicely with salty dishes. With some experimentation (and some research), you can soon create memorable meals featuring perfectly paired wines.
