No one can know for sure when wine tasting first developed, but it has been a part of human history for hundreds of years, and the constantly evolving pastime is still as popular as ever. Even Miguel de Cervantes' famous character Sancho Panza in his novel Don Quixote, which was first published in 1605, thought himself a bit of a wine connoisseur. Claiming to have a 'great natural instinct in judging wines', he assured a sceptic that you 'have only to let me smell one and I can tell positively its country, its kind, its flavour and soundness, the changes it will undergo and everything that appertains to a wine'. If you fancy being able to do the same, then read on for a brief introduction into how to correctly taste a wine and where you could go to learn more.
But to just taste wines is a straightforward and will deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. The look, smell, taste - starting with your basic senses and expanding from there you will be tasting wines like one of the pros. Keep in mind that you can smell thousands of unique scents, but your taste perception is limited to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows you to discern flavour.
Colour, Clarity and Smell: When poured into a wine glass, take a look at the wine tilt the glass away from you and look at the colour from rim edges to the middle of the glass (a white background would help, paper or napkin etc). An older white wine is darker and an older red will normally have more orange tinges on the edges of the colour. To get a good impression of a wine's smell you should swirl the glass for about 10 to 12 seconds. This is to helps get rid of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aroma. Now all you need to do inhale deeply through your nose! When it comes to taste there are 3 different stages - attack, evolution, finish. After the tasting is over you may want to record some of your impressions. Did you like it? Was it bitter? Sweet? Sour? Was it balanced? Did it taste better when you add cheese or bread? Or during a meal? Would you buy it again?
You might have gotten the wrong idea about wine tasting over the years but wine tasting is for everyone, wine courses and wine tastings focus on enjoying wine and learning more in a relaxed and informal setting, with friendly people.
Learning about wine can be an extremely rewarding experience. Not only can you show off to your friends and colleagues, but you will also finally be able to pick suitable wines to match meals and pick wines in shops, safe in the knowledge that you know what you're talking about. In London alone, there are hundreds of venues hosting wine tasting events, and even several world renowned 'Academies' to learn everything you need to know about wine and tasting, taught by Masters of Wine, professional Wine Buyers and top Sommeliers.
But to just taste wines is a straightforward and will deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. The look, smell, taste - starting with your basic senses and expanding from there you will be tasting wines like one of the pros. Keep in mind that you can smell thousands of unique scents, but your taste perception is limited to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows you to discern flavour.
Colour, Clarity and Smell: When poured into a wine glass, take a look at the wine tilt the glass away from you and look at the colour from rim edges to the middle of the glass (a white background would help, paper or napkin etc). An older white wine is darker and an older red will normally have more orange tinges on the edges of the colour. To get a good impression of a wine's smell you should swirl the glass for about 10 to 12 seconds. This is to helps get rid of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aroma. Now all you need to do inhale deeply through your nose! When it comes to taste there are 3 different stages - attack, evolution, finish. After the tasting is over you may want to record some of your impressions. Did you like it? Was it bitter? Sweet? Sour? Was it balanced? Did it taste better when you add cheese or bread? Or during a meal? Would you buy it again?
You might have gotten the wrong idea about wine tasting over the years but wine tasting is for everyone, wine courses and wine tastings focus on enjoying wine and learning more in a relaxed and informal setting, with friendly people.
Learning about wine can be an extremely rewarding experience. Not only can you show off to your friends and colleagues, but you will also finally be able to pick suitable wines to match meals and pick wines in shops, safe in the knowledge that you know what you're talking about. In London alone, there are hundreds of venues hosting wine tasting events, and even several world renowned 'Academies' to learn everything you need to know about wine and tasting, taught by Masters of Wine, professional Wine Buyers and top Sommeliers.
About the Author:
Home House is a social hotspot for people from all walks of life, which is part of its uniqueness. Quite unlike many other priority clubs in London, Home House is a place to enjoy leisure time or the perfect spot for a working day. Home House is one of the most popular photo locations in London.
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