Written on 20/01/2021
A short crash course
It's always a little awkward, at first, to taste wine "like a pro". The ritual can be laughable, and your friends will laugh at you... The best solution is to explain to them what you're doing, and invite them to follow the steps with you. Then the whole table will be doing the same thing, and teasing will give way to questions and shared sensations!
But before you start teaching your friends, make sure you know the steps involved in wine tasting! A quick reminder...
We take a look
First of all, you have to look at what you're going to drink! The color, fluidity and consistency of a wine tell you a lot about it.
We know that red wines start out purplish-purple, then change to a browner color... As for white wines, the lighter they are, the younger they are.
Tilt your glass, straighten it, and now analyze the dripping drops. The faster they flow, the more acidic the wine. If, on the other hand, they're thick, you know you're dealing with a fatty wine.
Now raise the glass to the light. The clearer it is, and the more free of particles that levitate or float, the more likely it is to be of good quality!
You can feel
After sight, it's time to move on to smell. The first time you smell a wine is called the "first nose". This is called the "first nose", and it's the first step in making sure the wine isn't corked. A musty smell? Switch to another bottle. Little smell? Let it air out a little...
Ready to be a pro? Now gently swirl the wine in your glass. The movement will release the aromas. Smell again. This is a great time to go around the table and find out who smells what. There's no wrong answer: sensitivities can't be explained.
We're finally drinking!
We drink, of course, but not just any old way. Here again, a few simple gestures can teach us a lot about the nectar we're drinking.
Take a small amount into your mouth, turn your lips into a cul-de-poule, suck in air and exhale through your nose. This turn of the throat will reveal more aromas and rid you of a little alcohol, which sometimes hides subtleties.
Here, quickly try to understand what's going on. The attack, i.e. the first taste, will help you capture the wine's acidity, sweetness, sugar and salt. The midpalate will show you its texture and most of its flavors. The finish will tell you how long these flavors last in the mouth.
Now you can spit it out, but if you like the wine, that would be a shame. That's the most important thing to remember about wine tasting: a good wine is a wine you like!
