Have you ever seen people tasting wine before? Make a mental note of how they sample the wine and what they do with it afterwards. First, they tip the wine glass and then twirl the wine. After that, wine tasters whiff the wine and rinse it around their mouth it before they eventually spit the wine out. Don’t be surprised if you see the wine tasters do this as it’s a very important ritual.
Wine tasters tilt the wine glass so that they can check a wine’s age. Tasting the wine and it’s coloring is very important as it determines its clarity. After the glass has been tipped you will find that the seasoned wines have a light colored edge while the newer wines have a lighter colorful edge. White wines can be examined by looking right at the glass. The clarity of a white wine can be found by the diamond look sparkle that comes from a great white wine.
By swirling the wine in the glass, you can examine the wine’s body. One of the things to find the body of the wine is to twirl the wine around the glass, the wine would cling to the side of the glass if it has greater body.
The aroma of wines is tested by whirling it on the glass and then sniffing its vapours deeply. Newer red wines smell like berries and there is also a slight smell of cocoa, licorice, spice, and mint. Wines that are bad will smell like vinegar.
The flavour of the wine can be examined by rolling the wine around the tongue. Place the wine at the middle of your tongue and gargle it to release its flavour. If the tip of your tongue is tingling, it suggests a sweet wine. If you get a pins and needles sensation on your tongue this would be an indication of a acidic type of wine, A wine with high tannic acid levels is indicated by a dry feeling throughout your month. Tannin is believed to be a natural preservative and you often find them in younger red wines. Wine can be best appreciated by taking swallowing tiny amounts at a time. The better wines should display a pleasurable and lingering finish.
Connoisseurs are the skilled wine tasters. It takes time and experience to asses the character of a wine so even if you do observe the rituals don’t concern yourself if you don’t become an expert right away.
If you have the makings of a connoisseur, then start wine tastings straightaway. Lets face it, there are lots of wines to try so if you are a wine fan there is no better time to start your career as a wine connoisseur.
Before you succeed as a connoisseur in wine tastings, make sure that you master the ‘rituals’. Learning to taste wine is not easy so don’t give up, try to learn from your mistakes but never give up. Always keep in mind that connoisseurs started out just like the other beginners.