The Art of Wine Tasting and the Knowledge to Do It Right

Written By Chouhab on dimanche 30 novembre 2008 | 14:35

By KC Kudra

It is a common misconception amongst non wine connoisseurs that wine tasting amounts to merely sipping, swishing, and swallowing wine; this could not be further from the truth for the avid connoisseur. There is a definite art to wine tasting that takes years of studied practice to master.

Wine tasting notes can be utilized to distinguish a variety of fine wines and picking them is reliably depends on developing a trained palate which can only be attained over many years of practice. Wine that is properly housed and aged can be, to the connoisseur, an exquisite experience.

Wine tasting is totally dependent upon our sense of smell with more than 3/4 of the impact on our senses tied to the smell prior to even beginning to taste it. Most wine lovers will retell the experiencing of a fine wine and speak more of the wonderful aroma and then the taste. After the smell, it becomes the personal preference of the wine taster.

In Napa Valley wine, tasting is always at the forefront of any party or gathering. Home of some of the best United States offerings, wine growers realize that swishing and sipping serves a very useful purpose. Circulating the wine in the mouth gives the experience breath and depth - it creates a symphony of experience.

Taste buds are not necessarily the main factor, but they do identify food, beverages and as being sweet, salty or bitter. The swishing method, therefore, gives the senses a chance to extract the aromatic flavors in the wine testing process.

Understanding the fundamentals of swishing allows the connoisseur to move on to the three basic principles of the art of judging a fine wine - observing, smelling, and finally tasting.

Upon pouring the wine into a crystal clear glass, the first step is to take a considered look at the sampling. This is not a step to be rushed as a great deal can be ascertained during this step. Despite their name, white wines are actually not white as much as they are golden, pale brown or with a slight tinge of green. On the other hand, red wine is typically a dark pink hue or leaning toward dark brown in color.

The second step is observation. It is all about the nose and what the wine smells like. This is accomplished through two steps: taking a brief whiff of the wine to get a general idea and then taking a deep, extended inhalation in order to get the full aroma of the beverage.

Experts will generally pause at this point to take in and process what they have learned so far about the wine. They will want to reflect on the total experience with the wine.

In the end, the wine connoisseur will be ready to start tasting the wine, first by taking a sip then swishing it around to detect both the bold and subtle flavor in the sample. It is only after this step is accomplished will the wine taster fully savor the flavor and swallow the sip taken.

Having completed the steps of observing, smelling, and finally tasting the wine, you will then be able to discern the quality of the wine from a connoisseur's standpoint. This is the most comprehensive way to determine the aging, storage, and overall fitness of the wine for consumption. In addition, as with any skill, the more practiced you become, the more adept you will be at evaluating the unique and exciting flavors of this special beverage.

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