If you like to sit down with a bottle of wine and a good movie after a long week at work (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), why not take your appreciation of wine to the next level and attend a wine tasting? Wine tasting is a fun, social and educational pastime that doesn’t quite involve as much drinking as you might think.
Wine tasting involves sampling small quantities of wine and identifying their quality, age and origins. The experts can assess wines quickly through sight, taste and smell and are incredibly accurate in their judgements. It takes time and practice to achieve that level of skill, but even a novice can quickly learn to identify wine that has been corked, allowed to become oxidized or over-sulphured.
During your first wine tasting session you’ll learn how to describe common tastes and smells, and hopefully pick up some wine-tasting related vocabulary that you can use to impress your friends.
What Makes a Good Wine
Good wines have a strong, distinct perfume to them. Depending on the type of the wine and how old it is, the scent may be powerful, or it may be light and dissipate quickly. Older white wines become more “honeyed” while young white wines tend to smell more like fresh flowers. Red wines are often fruity. A glass of Syrah should have a stronger and more distinct perfume than a glass of Pinot Noir, but both are beautiful wines. Watch out for wines that are musty smelling – this is a sign that the wine has been corked, and it probably won’t taste very good!
During a wine tasting session you will smell and taste several different wines. Take some time to savour each one and feel the tastes in different areas of your mouth. Remember that tastes are subjective, and a wine that you love may not be popular with everyone else. Don’t let your expectations hamper how much you enjoy a particular wine.
Your First Wine Tasting
If you ever have the opportunity to go on a wine tasting trip in France or Italy, you should take it. Visiting vineyards and enjoying tastings in the heart of wine country is an experience you will never forget. Before you go, though, why not try some wine tasting sessions closer to home? You’ll get to learn the wine tasting lingo, see what really happens during a wine tasting session, and train your taste buds to recognize a high quality wine.
There are a lot of venues offering wine tasting sessions in London. Chandos House holds periodic wine tasting sessions, where visitors can taste wines from countries such as Greece, Italy and Bulgaria. The next session is due to take place on the 28th January 2014, and places are limited. Book early if you want to enjoy tasting some exceptional independent wines.
Another popular wine tasting venue is the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone. Decanter Magazine will be hosting a wine tasting session there on the 22nd February 2014, and the session will also include a wine masterclass, making it a perfect opportunity to learn more about wines in general.
This post was put together by Crispin Jones, the blogger for the Gourmet Society. If you want to find out more have a look at their site or download their app. Crispin considers himself a avid foodie and spends most of his evening is his kitchen. There have been no complaints from his wife or kids yet – which he takes as a compliment! Check out The Gourmet Society’s recent infographic about matching food with wine.
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