Wine Tasting: A Quick Guide On How To Appreciate and Taste Wine

We all love a glass of our favourite wine after a tough week of work. Appreciating and tasting wine properly is more than simply opening a bottle to drink with your takeaway pizza. Real appreciation does not happen over night, when perfected, can take your experiences to a whole new level.

First and foremost, you need to start with a great tasting tipple. Our wine subscription UK services can deliver delicious French wine from a range of regions including Bordeaux, Provence, Languedoc, Alsace, Rhone and etc... Once your wine delivery arrives, there are essentially four areas to focus on for to maximise wine tasting appreciation;

• Look, 
• Smell,
• Taste,
• Reflection.

Focus on all four factors to get the most out of your wine appreciation and subscription. Above all take your time and enjoy!

Look

Even when you receive your wine delivery, the presentation of the bottle can impact your tasting experiences. To be honest, the bottle will provide a lot of information such as the grape type and ABV too. 

As for studying the look, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a red or a white wine - the focal points will be the colour, opacity, and resistance or opposition of fluid.

Smell

The role of smell or a sniff in wine tasting is far more significant than many people imagine. There are hints of grapes and various fruits across the realms of citrus, orchard, tropical, and red fruits. These elements will be responsible for producing the primary aromas that first hit you when taking a smell of your wine.

Secondary aromas are derived from winemaking practices and usually stem from the yeast source. Notes related to ageing, which can include hints of various spices and tobacco, are known as tertiary aromas and are likely to hit you after the initial smells of fruit.

Bring the glass to your nose and let the aromas sink in for a few seconds. It will almost let you know what to expect before you’ve even used your tongue for tasting.

Tasting

While enjoying great wine is an experience for all the senses, the actual tasting should be the central focus. Whether you’re alone or with friends, the key is to take your time and enjoy the beverage. 

You will almost certainly detect sour flavours in every wine you taste as grapes are acidic. However, you may also note sweetness (particularly in white wines) or bitter tastes. Although not very common, you may notice salty hints too. There is also a need to consider the mid-palate and finish in addition to the initial flavour - this three-stage process is known as the length.

Reflection

Following the tasting session, you should take a few moments to think about the wine. The main question is whether you liked it, but you can also consider issues like its balance, flavour profile, and alcoholic strength. It adds something to the initial tasting experience but, perhaps more importantly, helps you consider future pairing options. 

With our wine subscription UK services, you’ll be trying plenty of wonderful wines over the months to come. Keeping a record will come in very useful as you determine the right drink for the right occasion.