Millions of people all over the world are drinking wine but only a few know how to recognize or distinguish its characteristics. Today, wine tasting parties are organized to bring together all wine lovers and test their expertise. It takes a lot of experience and exposure before a person can be called a wine expert. However, becoming one is surprisingly easy. Here are some tips on how to become an effective wine taster:
1. Preparing the tongue.
Obviously, the tongue plays a major role in wine tasting. It contains taste buds that are responsible for detecting if food or drinks being eaten are bitter, salty, sour, or sweet. To make them work as intended, swish wine around the mouth, this will signal the tongue to get ready for identifying the wine.
2. Preparing the sense of smell.
75% of taste is actually dictated by the sense of smell. Aside from the tongue, the nose will also play an important role in tasting a wine. Wine experts know that it isn’t a good idea when tasting a wine while having a running nose or colds because it will affect their sense of taste. In smelling the wine, it is necessary to swirl it first. This will release molecules that produce aroma.
3. Examining the wine’s appearance.
To determine the color of the wine, pour it in a clear glass and use white paper or tablecloth for background. This procedure will give you an idea about the age of the wine. For example, when white wine appears whiter it means it contains more flavors and it may be vintage. On the other hand, red wines appear lighter as they age.
4. Evaluating the wine.
After following the first 3 steps, it is time to evaluate the wine. In order to do so, these questions must be answered: Is wine rich or light? Is it too harsh or too smooth? Does it have pleasant aftertaste? Is it too dry?
The answers will lead the wine taster to decide if the taste is appropriate for a specific brand or type of wine.
To become an expert wine tester, you need to taste several wines. It would help to keep notes on the impression and labels of each wine. This would make the identification process easier and more accurate. Learning this skill requires a lot of time and experience. Do not be in a hurry to learn it, take time to enjoy while doing so.
