Anyone
who has ever tasted wine has engaged in wine
tasting. The most seasoned of wine tasters
is equipped with the same sensory equipment
as the most innocent of amateurs. All that
separates the two is the number of sips
they’ve had and the number of conversations
they’ve had about those sips.
In general, people rarely speak of taste. Yes, they may
compliment a host on a good meal, but it
would be rare, if not utterly unusual, for a
guest to delve into details. Most couldn’t
if they tried. We only have so many everyday
words to describe food. Something can be
sweet, sour, spicy, salty, bitter, or rich.
Something can be hot, cold, juicy, chewy,
crunchy, or dry.
To put it plainly, everyday language is lacking when it
comes to describing food. If you don’t
believe me, try out this experiment. Bite
into a plum. Now describe the taste you just
experienced in detail. Bite into a pear and
do the same. Now try to explain in detail
the difference in taste between the two
fruits. Not easy, is it?
You’d have no trouble at all describing the
personalities of two friends, but when it
comes to taste, it takes practice. Wine
tasters not only love to drink wine, they
love to talk about it. They have mastered a
vocabulary that allows them communicate
what’s going on with their taste buds, and
they have even written material to help
further hone that skill.
Wine tasting is a multifaceted phenomenon. In order to
fully experience any wine, there is a
formula to follow. You can think of this as
a method for getting the most out of the
activity. Wine tasting is like good music.
It relaxes the mind, eases the body, and
allows your sensory system to take over.
Find yourself a bottle, pop the cork, pour a glass, and
take pleasure in this unique experience. Go
ahead and hold the glass up high. Cheers!
Focus your vision and let your eyes absorb
the rich tones. Bring the glass down and
rotate it in a circular motion. Notice the
way the color changes as the liquid is
stirred. As you gyrate the glass, the wine
and oxygen collide in midair, causing an
olfactory explosion of rich aromas that fill
the immediate atmosphere.
Breath in deeply through your nose. Bring
the glass to your mouth and slowly take a
small sip. Notice the way it feels upon
entry. Let it find its way to the middle of
your mouth. Feel its texture as it interacts
with the tissue of your warm inner mouth.
Purse your lips and breathe in. Allow air to
pass though your mouth. Further oxidize the
wine as you breath. Prepare as the aroma
fills your mouth and travels up your nose.
When the time is right, allow yourself to
swallow. Pay close attention to the tingle
as it runs down your esophagus and
stimulates your sinuses. Revel in the
aftertaste, or as the connoisseurs would
call it, the “length.”
