What Is Wine Tasting? How Does It Work?

There are roughly 65,000 wineries all over the world. That’s a lot of wine to sample!

Whether you’re a seasoned wine lover or just beginning to dip your toes into the world of wine, a wine tasting is a great way to discover which wines are your favorite while also having fun.

If you’re attending a wine tasting for the first time, you’ve likely got some questions. What is wine tasting? How does it work? What should you do to prepare for it?

Keep reading for some wine tasting tips and a quick overview of what it will involve.

What Is Wine Tasting?

A wine tasting is an opportunity to not only see where and how wine is made but to taste several different varieties of it as well.

The goal of a wine tasting is to focus on the experience, not the drinking. This means taking note of how the wine smells, looks, and tastes.

Many vineyards even turn wine tasting into a luxury experience, such as Matakana Estate in Auckland or Churon Winery in California.

Wine tastings are a perfect way to find out which types of wine you love, and maybe even bring a bottle of your favorite home with you too.

How Does It Work?

Wine tastings will require a reservation, so decide who you want to visit a winery with and select your date and time.

Wineries tend to be classy establishments, so choose something appropriate to wear that’s also comfortable, as you’ll likely be doing some walking if you tour the vineyard (so keep the weather in mind, too!).

Once you arrive, you can often take a tour to see how and where the wine is made, and your server will offer you samples of their varieties.

Remember to ask any questions you have during the tasting. Not only will this help you discover which wines you like best, but the employees are there to help and enjoy sharing their wine knowledge.

What’s Proper Wine Tasting Etiquette?

One of the most important pieces of wine tasting advice is to hold your glass by the stem, not the bowl. This will keep your hand from accidentally warming up the wine and altering the flavor.

Swirl your wine around in the glass to let more oxygen into it (also called letting the wine breathe) and smell the wine before tasting it.

You’ll want to notice as many characteristics as possible about the flavor so you can determine which wine is your favorite.

With so many samples being offered, be careful to drink responsibly. Many tastings will have a bucket that you can spit your wine into after tasting it, so you don’t over-drink.

Visit a Winery to Uncover Your Favorite Flavor

The best way to find out which wines you love (and which ones you don’t!) is to visit a winery for a wine tasting.

Now that you’ve answered the question of what is wine tasting pick a winery and start experiencing the flavors!

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