| When you start to get serious about drinking | | | | impressions. This is where you savor the wine. |
| wine, you should create a record of your | | | | You should be able to note the strengths and |
| experiences to help refine your palette. In this | | | | weaknesses of the wine. Perhaps the tannins are |
| article, we take a look at the finer points of | | | | too much or perhaps they are not enough. There |
| keeping a wine journal. | | | | isn't any absolute that must be recorded, just |
| What is a wine journal? It is a booklet that is | | | | your impressions. You want to keep enough detail |
| made specifically for wine drinking. It typically | | | | that you'll be able to understand what you meant |
| comes with a flip up page format. The top page | | | | when you look back, but you don't really need to |
| provides you with a space to paste the label from | | | | write a novel! |
| the bottle you've tried. The bottom page provides | | | | The last step in keeping a wine journal is dealing |
| you with space to keep notes regarding the | | | | with the label on the bottle. The names of wines |
| flavors of the wine and your impressions. This | | | | can be surprisingly similar to one another, so it is |
| bottom page usually provides reminder questions | | | | always best to simply remove the label and post |
| to help you keep accurate and comparable notes | | | | it in your journal with the notes. This is done by |
| from one bottle to another. | | | | soaking the empty bottle in warm water. The |
| The first step in keeping a wine journal is to note | | | | label is glued to the bottle and the glue liquefies in |
| the circumstances of your experience. Are you at | | | | the warm water. Give it five to ten minutes and |
| a winery, a wine tasting party or just relaxing at | | | | it should slide off the bottle. Next, just position |
| home? Keep notes on who is with you, the | | | | and press the label in your journal. The original glue |
| reason for the event and the reasons you've | | | | should solidify and stick as it cools down. |
| chosen the specific wine or wines for the event. | | | | There isn't really a right or wrong way to keep a |
| Obviously, you'll also need to write down the | | | | wine journal. The purpose is to create a record of |
| name of the wine, the year and any particulars | | | | your impressions that you can use as a |
| regarding the vintage. | | | | reference. As long as your entries meet that |
| Now we get into the narrative. Your wine journal | | | | requirement, you've fulfilled the purpose of the |
| should contain a space for you to record your | | | | wine journal. |