When I first heard about wine tasting sessions, it sounded like stuff right out of my dreams. After attending like dozens of them, I am finally reaching a point where I can kinda, may be jot down a few points as in how to not look like a total dumbass at wine tasting. These are not just about wine. There’s more to it. Learn a thing or five:
Minimal clothing: Don’t overdo it, don’t underdo it. Mostly no wine tasting has a dress code, although some wineries do promote a certain style or theme of dressing. Call them up and check when in doubt. But remember, nobody’s there for you, they are there for the wine.
Don’t use too much perfume: The aroma of the wine matters big time, so don’t come in to a tasting room smelling like a big-ass bouquet of lavender or jasmine. Keep it basic, but ensure that people in your vicinity can smell other stuff too, apart from you.
Getting drunk on three or four rounds: Wine rooms aren’t fancy looking bars. You are there for and expected to appreciate the wine, not take advantage of it and get drunk half an hour into the session. They are generous pourers but we suggest not to exploit the situation. Also, the more you drink, the less you enjoy the rest of the tasting
The art of drinking wine: When they pour a sample into your glass, take a moment and nose the drink, take in the smell. Try and associate the aromas with different flavour families. I know that is a little too much to ask, but it will be a different experience. Aerate your drink by swirling it. Sense if the aroma is changing, take a gulp and swirl it in your mouth. You can choose not to drink the wine and spit it out in the buckets provided.
Eat less cheese/bread, it fills you up quickly: Take a bite of the cheese, so that it takes off the aftertaste from your mouth and lets your taste buds refresh. Don’t binge, or else you will be full in no time and that’s no good. Also, certain cheeses compliment some particular wines extremely well. Figure out your fave so that you can replicate it at home and have a go-to cheese-wine combo.
