Our tips to taste like a pro
Nobody wants to look like a dill when they’re tasting wine. So here are four easy steps to follow.
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LOOK. You know that thing about stopping to smell the roses? It’s the same for wine. Take your time and enjoy the whole experience.
SWIRL. That’s swirl, not slosh. Hold your glass by the stem and gently move it in a circular motion for a few seconds. Swirling the wine helps to release those aromatic vapours - which you’re going to want when you move to step 4.
SMELL. Get your nose right down into the glass and take a good long sniff (you’re going to be so glad you only filled it to one-third). Your nose can detect thousands of aromas: it’ll tell you more about the flavour of your wine than your tongue possibly can, so put it to work.
SAVOUR. Take a sip of wine and let it spread across your tongue and into your mouth. Swish it around to maximise contact. Now here’s what the pros do: with a small amount of wine resting in the hollow of your tongue, suck in some air through your lips so that it flows over the wine. This increases aeration, releasing additional flavours and aromas. Swallow. Smile.
