The act of learning how to taste wine is really no different than learning to appreciate art or music, in that the enjoyment you receive is equal to the effort that you have made. The more time you take to find tune your tasting abilities, the better you will be able to not only understand, but also enjoy the details and nuances that a great wine offers. The fact is that the effort and time you put into training your palate is extremely rewarding.
Instructions for Tasting Wine
The ability you have to untangle and sniff out the various subtle threads that are woven into the complicated wine aromas is crucial for wine tasting. Try to hold your nose when you swallow your wine; you will quickly realize that the majority of the flavor that is present is muted. The key to your palate is your nose. Once you take the time to learn to sniff the wine, you will be able to start isolating the various flavors and notice the way that they interact and unfold.
This is precisely what the wine tasting professionals – those who write, buy, sell and make the wine – can do. While there is no concrete wrong or right way to learn the way to taste wine, there are some rules that will help you along the way.
First of all, you need to be focused and methodical. You can find your own unique approach and you should follow it on a consistent basis. Keep in mind, not every single bottle or glass of wine you have needs to be analyzed in this manner; however, if you really want to learn more about wine, some dedication will be required. When you have a glass of wine, that a second to cease all other conversation and shut out all of the distractions to focus all of your attention on the finish, flavors, scents and appearance of the wine.
The mental checklist will take only about a minute to run through and will help you easily notice all of the compass points of your palate. Remember that figuring out your particular tastes and what you like is important, as well. Once you have mastered the art of wine tasting, you can show off your skills and abilities on one of your next wine tours in Traverse City, chances are your friends will be impressed.
