September 16, 2009
Go Wine Tasting with Confidence
The other day, I had my darling friend Carolyn over for tea. As we settled into the couch, she sighed and said, “Maggie, I have a confession to make.”
When a conversation starts like that, I can hardly wait to hear what’s coming next!
“My son-in-law’s parents invited me to join their group of friends on a wine-tasting tour. They’re nice people… but I wouldn’t know what to do at a wine tasting! I grew up on a farm, for goodness sake! I got so nervous, I just pretended to have a scheduling conflict.”
Well, I was having none of that. “Miss Carolyn, you’re going to call those lovely people back and accept that invitation, because by the end of our visit, you’re going to know everything you need to do this event with style and grace!”
I then proceeded to give her a crash course in wine-tasting. Here are the highlights:
- Wine tasting is about exploring the flavors and characteristics of each wine, learning to sense the nuances and subtle differences among different varieties.
- To protect your ability to sense the subtleties of wine, start with light-bodied wines.
- Perfumes, scents and lipstick can distort the flavors of wine. Go without.
- Hold glasses by the stem, not the bowl. Heat from your hand affects the wine, changing the taste and experience.
- If you must bring a beverage with you, bring only water. No coffee, tea, soda or other flavored drink.
The tasting process generally goes like this:
