Wine tasting can be intimidating. Your glass is poured and it’s like being handed a baby for the first time. You’re holding it out at arm’s length thinking, what do I do with it now? Fortunately, the wine won’t cry or spit up on you, but you’re still worried about looking awkward. Next time you’re in this position, use the four-step wine tasting guide and you will look like a pro. It’s really simple; look, swirl, smell, taste. Yep, it’s that easy! Let’s dive into each step a little deeper and discuss the why behind each one.   

Look

The very first step is to look at your wine. What are we looking for when we look at a glass of wine? There are details of the wine that can be unlocked simply by its appearance. The most basic question: what color is it? Break it down from there. If it is white, is it super pale? Bright yellow? Deep gold? Red wines can range from light ruby to midnight purple. Is it iridescent or hard to see through? Make sure when you are examining the wine, you are holding it against a white sheet of paper or simply into the light (i.e. next to a window). Just from these key clues, we start to infer about what is in our glass. 

Swirl

The next step is to swirl. By flicking your wrist, swirl your glass to create a small current. Don’t worry about looking silly. It may be awkward and clumsy at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. By swirling your glass of wine, you are releasing aromas. This makes it easier to smell and identify key notes.

Smell

This brings us into our next step; smelling. Stick your whole nose into your glass. That’s right, the whole thing. Notice the smells that hit you right off the bat. Is it fruity? Earthy? Boozy?  If you want to get more specific on what you are smelling, I recommend using a tasting grid like this one from Wine Folly. Now, this probably isn’t the kind of thing you whip out at a dinner party, but more of a tool to sharpen your skills if you want to level up your tasting.

Taste

Last, and obviously the most fun, is tasting. Simply take a sip of your wine and move it around your mouth. Try to cover as much of your mouth as you can as certain parts of your tongue will pick up different flavor profiles. You don’t have to make up your mind about the wine on the first sip. In fact, I encourage you not to. Take a couple more and start to think about what you’re tasting. Again, you can use the deductive tasting grid to help you narrow into specific flavor profiles. The last part of tasting is to notice the finish. How does the wine feel in your mouth after you have taken a sip? Sweet? Dry? Smokey? And how long does the finish last? Does the flavor disappear right after you swallow, or does it hang out for a while? These are all details to think about when tasting.

Something to keep in mind: everyone will have a different take on the same wine. Just because you are smelling grapefruit and your friend is getting pineapple, doesn’t mean you are wrong. Also, if you are thinking, ‘Britta, I don’t know what you’re talking about. It just smells like wine to me,’ that is totally normal and ok! Next time you sit down with a bottle of wine, I challenge you to go through this four-part tasting procedure and take notes while you do so. Even if your notes say, ‘tastes like wine,’ the more you practice, the more you will hone your skills - just like anything else. Have fun, practice and...explore! Never feel awkward while wine tasting again.

Photos by Laura&Rachel