| Have you ever seen those stiff upper-lipped | | | | is actually needed. Just very slight circular |
| types doing a spot of the old wine tasting | | | | movements combined with a right-left movement |
| malarkey? You know the form - sip, swill, spit. | | | | should do the trick. |
| Yuck! Well this information has been written to | | | | The idea behind all this swilling is to bring the |
| help you understand the form should you ever | | | | wine's aroma out of the wine itself and into the |
| find yourself in a situation where you need to | | | | empty part of the bowl thus allowing it to be |
| know what to do. And don't go thinking "I'll never | | | | smelled and savoured. This is why wine glasses |
| have to do any wine tasting" because you just | | | | are bulbous. The wide bowl has ample room for |
| don't know that for sure and the last thing you | | | | swilling while the narrow edge 'captures' the |
| want is to be caught unaware. | | | | bouquet. Clever, eh? Do this right and you'll look |
| So, on with the wine tasting... | | | | like a real wine tasting expert. |
| Study The Wine | | | | Move your glass to your nose as elegantly as |
| Pick up your glass as elegantly as possible. There | | | | you're able and bring it in slightly beneath the tip. |
| are two ways this can be done.a) For chilled wines | | | | Inhale deeply. Savour for a few moments and |
| - hold the glass by the stem and don't even touch | | | | then inhale again. It's a good idea to exhale |
| the bowl.b) For wine served at room temperature | | | | between those two inhalations or you might find |
| - pick up the glass by the bowl and hold it cupped | | | | yourself going dizzy. Do it too often and you'll |
| in your palm, the stem between your middle two | | | | faint. |
| fingers. | | | | You may now move your glass away from your |
| Now that you have the wine glass comfortably in | | | | nose. |
| your hand, hold it at a slight angle against | | | | At this point, it's appropriate to make some kind |
| something white. If your hostess knows anything | | | | of comment. Ok, so maybe you won't really be |
| about wine tasting, she'll have covered the table in | | | | able to fool anybody into believing you're a proper |
| white linen specifically for this purpose. | | | | wine tasting expert but at least you can make it |
| Be careful not to tip the glass too far - unless | | | | sound as if you've actually drunk a glass of |
| you're willing to replace an expensive linen | | | | decent wine before. Why should the other guests |
| tablecloth, that is. You may also need to adjust | | | | need to know that most of your wine costs |
| the distance from your eyes that the glass is held | | | | £3.99 at the local Co-Op? |
| at. Most find that holding it at almost arm's length | | | | Something like "mmmm, rich and fruity" or "oooh, |
| is a good starting point when wine tasting although | | | | lovely and light" will probably do the trick. When |
| the very short sighted who are also absent | | | | talking about red wine, 'rich' is usually a good word |
| minded enough to have left their eye glasses at | | | | to use - if the wine's white, go for 'light'. This is |
| home may find themselves having to hold the | | | | also a handy way of impressing dates when doing |
| glass almost in front of their noses. | | | | a spot of wine tasting at the table in a restaurant. |
| Once you've found the correct position, study the | | | | The Actual Wine Tasting |
| colour and clarity of the wine. Now you may well | | | | You've probably been looking forward to this bit |
| believe that wine's either red, pink, or white but | | | | but whatever you do, remember that wine |
| I'm afraid, if that's the case, you're very much | | | | tasting is about taking small sips and not guzzle it |
| mistaken. Wines can be green, yellow, gold, pink, | | | | down like there's no tomorrow. |
| purple, or even black. Evidently, the colour of the | | | | This bit's actually trickier than you'd expect so |
| wine will indicate the type of grape it was made | | | | you might want to do some more practising. |
| from - as if me, you, and Jack on the street are | | | | Bring your glass to your lips, open them slightly |
| likely to know about that! Still, you're presumably | | | | and take a small sip. Now close you mouth and roll |
| there for the actual wine tasting rather than | | | | the wine around on your tongue for a few |
| grape education. | | | | seconds before allowing it to slide slowly down |
| Clarity indicates age. Young wines are more see | | | | your throat AND AT THE SAME TIME EXHALE! |
| through and cloudiness can mean there's | | | | The trouble with exhaling whilst swallowing is that |
| something wrong. If that's the case, I'd suggest | | | | some of the liquid might come shooting through |
| putting it back on the table and giving your | | | | your nostrils. Not a pretty sight and, again, think |
| hostess once of those 'down your nose' type | | | | of the Axminster! Make a mess at this stage and |
| looks. That way, she'll think you actually know a | | | | you'll probably never be invited to a wine tasting |
| thing or two about the business of wine tasting. | | | | party again. |
| The reason why you're studying the colour and | | | | If you fancy, you can always take a second sip |
| clarity looks has absolutely no bearing on how the | | | | at this point but never a third. No matter how |
| wine will taste but a proper connoisseur enjoys | | | | good that one particular wine is, it's time to move |
| the beauty of wine as well as its taste and ... | | | | on to the next. |
| The Bouquet | | | | Other Stuff Worth Knowing |
| No, we're not talking about the bunch of flowers | | | | Apart from bottles and glasses, the wine tasting |
| a bride carries with her down the aisle, we're | | | | table will probably hold plates of cheese or, |
| talking the smell of wine. Sometimes, if the people | | | | occasionally, sherbet. They're not there to snack |
| at the wine tasting are really posh, they might call | | | | on; they're used between wines to clean out the |
| it 'The Nose'. | | | | taste of the last wine you tasted. Just a little at a |
| Still holding your glass in the correct manner, | | | | time is all that's needed. Do like a mouse and |
| lower your hand somewhat whilst bring your glass | | | | nibble! |
| to a level position and rotate your wrist so that | | | | Wear something comfortable and preferably |
| the wine swirls gently within the bowl. You might | | | | something that doesn't carry a designer label. |
| want to leave these instructions at this point to | | | | After all, if you spill red wine down the front of |
| go to the kitchen and practise this step with a | | | | your best frock, you're not going to be happy, |
| wine glass half filled with water. After all, if you're | | | | are you? |
| serious about attending a wine tasting party, it's | | | | That's it. You're now clued up enough to pop along |
| just as well to know for sure that you aren't | | | | to your very first wine tasting party without |
| going to spill expensive red wine over your | | | | making a complete idiot of yourself. |
| hostess's spanking new Axminster. | | | | Enjoy! |
| To swill wine properly, very little wrist movement | | | | |