5 Things You Need to Get Started with Wine Tasting
Have you ever attended a wine tasting, stared in awe at your expert host describing fragrances and flavors in vivid detail, and thought, 'I wish I could taste like that?' Well, great news: ANYONE can learn the art of wine tasting! It just takes a little bit of knowledge and a lot of practice.
As a certified sommelier who has led hundreds of wine tastings, I completely understand that while enjoying wine is a great way to unwind and spend time with friends and family, it can also be intimidating if you don't know where to start. If you want to get into wine tasting but aren't sure how…
Here are 5 tools that will make your tastings easier than ever:
#1: The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil
Karen MacNeil's The Wine Bible is an excellent resource for beginners. This book covers grape varieties, regions, and suggested food pairings. It's also a fantastic gift for wine lovers who want to take their tasting to the next level but haven't found the right book yet!
Among us wine professionals, The Wine Bible is considered a classic. It's not super geeky (some wine books tend to be snoozeville!); and I recommend it because it's accessible to people who aren't looking for in-depth information about the science of wine— but instead want an entertaining read. It also has a lot of great maps and illustrations, which make it easy to visualize what you're learning about.
The book is divided into two main sections: the first covers wine basics, like the most important grape varieties and how wine is made. This part of the book is incredibly informative and easy to read. It has so many helpful tips on how to buy wine, how to serve wine and cook with wine, decanting, and even tasting. Then, the book goes region by region through the world of wine. Each is then covered in detail, with information about the area's climate, history, and what makes it unique. And best of all, each regional section has a list of the top wineries— so, you have great recommendations of the 'benchmark' producers to taste (or to put on your travel bucket list). I recommend purchasing a bottle from the region to sip along as you read about that area, making the whole experience fun and memorable.
#2: A Universal Wine Glass
When you're starting out, you don't need an extensive collection of various wine glass shapes, but if you are serious about wine tasting, then a 'universal glass' will fit the bill!
It should have a stem to help keep your hand away from the bowl (heat from your hands will heat up the wine, which is not usually a good thing!) and is medium-sized, with an aperture close to the size of the widest part of the bowl. For beginners, it's best to stick with a simple design (you can find my preferred universal glasses here). If you're looking for something more ornate and unique, you can start your collection with this type of glass and build from there.
There are a few things to remember when choosing the right universal wine glass for tasting. The most important is size and shape, which affect your wine taste. A large bowl can be awkward to hold and will make it difficult for you to swirl the contents around while they're in your hand. (In terms of what to do when the wine is in your glass, check out this post).
#3: A Coravin
The third tool you'll need is a Coravin. This device allows you to pour a glass of wine without removing the cork! The technology uses a needle to inject argon gas into the bottle and then pulls just a taste into your glass-- which preserves the rest of the bottle for later use. This means you can taste many wines per session without having them go bad before you're able to finish them. A Coravin is excellent if you want to save the remainder of the bottle for another time (like a dinner party or social occasion). Without my Coravin, I personally would be pouring a lot of wine down the drain instead of sharing it with friends weeks after tasting it!
#4: An Aroma Kit
Your nose is the most essential tool you have when it comes to enjoying wine, and there's only so much you can learn about aromas from just reading about them. A great way of exposing yourself to different smells and discovering what they all mean? Aroma kits! They'll teach you what cherry, pineapple, or even leather smells like-- so you can recognize those same aromas when you detect them in a glass of wine.
The best-known aroma kit is Le Nez du Vin - it contains 54 different vials of essential oils that will help your palate grow more accustomed to notes like truffle, chocolate, and honeydew melon. But if you're looking for something a little less pricey (and maybe more authentic), try making your own aroma kit. They really do work surprisingly well! Check out Wine Folly for a DIY guide on making your own.
#5: A Great Local Wine Shop
A great local wine shop can be a fantastic resource for learning about wine... it may even be the most helpful tool in your belt! Wine shops with knowledgeable staff can help you learn about different wine styles. If you become a regular, they'll remember your preference from previous visits and keep recommending more cool bottles to discover!
The staff at a local wine shop will likely be more knowledgeable about the wines they carry than the larger stores (like Costco or grocery stores like Trader Joe's). They will be happy to offer advice on what would be good choices for your palate- or a good pairing with what you're cooking for dinner that night. They’ll also keep you posted on free tastings in the shop. If you make friends with your local wine shop staff, I promise they will take excellent care of you.
With these 5 tools, you're well on your way to becoming an expert taster!
As you can see, becoming a skilled wine taster doesn't require fancy decanters and glassware or expensive courses-- you can get started with just the bare basics and grow from there. The best way to become a better wine taster is to taste as much as possible and build your knowledge step by step-- and just by being on this blog, you're off to a great start.
I hope this post has been helpful and encouraging! Whether you're already well on your way to expert status or just starting out, there's always more to learn. Now, get out there and taste some wine!
Want More? Sip on these…
