Have you ever found yourself at a gathering or perhaps at a festival, surrounded by wine enthusiasts, and felt so intimidated by the situation that by the end you could barely tell the difference between white and red wine? The basics of wine tasting are actually much simpler than you might think: you don’t even need to be a sommelier to navigate the world of wines!

 

What’s in the Glass? – The ultimate wine experience

The goal of a wine tasting is to get to know the taste and character of the wine. You don’t necessarily need to be familiar with the basic characteristics of wine types: it’s more than enough to trust your senses! If you are tasting more than one wine, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind: it’s recommended to start with the younger wines and move towards the older ones. Keep it moving from the lighter ones towards fuller-bodied wines, and from dry to sweeter varieties. (Of course, this is by no means a “must-have” requirement, but more of a guideline.)

One of the basic rules of wine tasting etiquette is to pour only a small amount of wine into your glass! This way, you can avoid getting overwhelmed by the flavors too soon, and the “less is more” principle will allow you to taste your way through the wine line without overstimulating yourself!

Basic wine tasting tips

1. Start by examining the wine’s color!

It’s best to do this against a white background so you can see the depth and clarity. For example, a Chardonnay typically has a pale or golden yellow color, but you might also notice some greenish hues. Lighter-colored wines usually indicate a fresh, youthful, and vibrant character, while deeper, golden tones suggest a more mature profile. (The variations in color hint for how long and how exactly was the wine matured.) When it comes to red wine, such as the robust Egri Bikavér, you’ll typically notice a deep ruby red or burgundy shade in the glass: this points to a rich presence of tannins and the complexity gained from aging.

2. Trust your smell!

Equally important is the wine’s aroma: gently inhale its fragrance and then close your eyes to try to separate the different scents! Sticking with the previous examples: fresh wines often have citrus notes (such as lime or green apple), while oaked Chardonnays can have more intense aromas, like butter, toasted almonds, or oak. With Egri Bikavér, you might detect berry fruit aromas, such as cherry or blackberry, as well as spices like vanilla, tobacco, or leather (these are all a result of oak barrel aging).

3. Give it a taste!

Taste is probably the most personal part of the wine-tasting experience, because we all have different numbers of taste buds. The acids, sweet and bitter notes, and tannins found in red wines all contribute to the unique flavor experience of each wine! Take a small sip first, then swirl it around in your mouth before swallowing. After swallowing, exhale, and then try to identify the aromas you previously noticed, like lime or green apple with Chardonnay, or the berry fruits in Egri Bikavér. If you wan’t to dive into an experience like this, check out some wine tours, wine courses or wine tasting events near you! You can learn a lot from the experts on these events! (Check out „wine tasting near me”, or „vineyards near me” keywords!) 

Wine tasting is actually a fun and educational experience that presents the world of wines in a different light. Don’t worry if you’re not a pro: just rely on your eyes, nose, and taste buds. They’ll know the answer to all your questions!

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