How to taste Red Wine Properly

Every year thousands of people from all over the world travel to vineyards to taste a variety of wines. While white wines tend to be crisp and fruity, many red wines have flavors such as smoke, oak or cherry. Wine tasting is different from simply drinking it, though, as there are a variety of customs to follow. Airing out, deeply smelling and slowly tasting each glass are several steps needed to properly taste red wine.

Things You'll Need

• Corkscrew
• Balloon wine glass

Instructions

1. Open the bottle of red wine using your corkscrew. Air out the wine bottle by allowing it to sit for several minutes undisturbed.

2. Pour a small amount of wine into a balloon-shaped wine glass. Balloon glasses help air out red wine, increasing the intensity of its flavor. Air out the wine by allowing the glass to sit for several minutes before enjoying.

3. Inspect the glass of wine by swirling the wine around the sides of the glass. Look at how the wine streaks down the sides to the bottom of the glass after a swirl. If the streaks are fast moving, the wine may be of lesser quality. Also inspect the color of the wine. Younger red wines tend to be of a darker red color, while older wines lose some of their deep color as they age.

4. Smell the wine by first swirling it around in the glass. This motion allows air to come into contact with more of the wine, releasing its aromas. Put your nose directly into the glass, and inhale deeply through your nose. Smelling the wine before tasting it can increase the flavor of the wine when you actually drink it.

5. Take a small sip of the red wine, and hold the wine in your mouth. Breathe deeply through your nose while holding the wine in your mouth. Gently swirl the wine around your tongue to allow it to touch all of your taste buds. Pay attention to the different tastes that arise from the wine over time, and also note the texture of the wine as you drink it. After holding the wine for 10 or 20 seconds, either spit it out or swallow it, depending on the custom of your tasting site.

Tips & Warnings

• Many tasting sites require tasters to spit out wine after tasting it. To do so, hold your head down over the spitting receptacle, open your mouth slightly and let gravity take care of the rest. Do not forcefully spit out wine, as you may splash some on yourself or other guests.

• Do not drive directly after a wine tasting. Even if you do spit out wine, a small amount of each glass is still absorbed by your body. Driving after drinking is not only illegal, but highly dangerous.

References

• Wine Doctor; "How to Taste Wine"
• Sacred Drop; "How to Taste Red WIne Like a Pro"; June 21, 2011
• New Hampshire State Government; "Tasting Wines";