2008 - Wine Writer
Wine Tasting Like an Aficionado
Wine tasting is verisimilar to a fine art. It engages three senses to appreciate the aroma of the bouquet. There's a certain savoir-faire to letting wine languish on the palette as the quintessence of the grapes returns back to life. Use these devices, tips and sensory tactics to learn the fine art of wine tasting like an aficionado.
The Eyes
Before placing the glass to your lips, stare deeply into the wine goblet. What do you see? At first glimpse, it may appear simply "red" or tinged in yellow. But, as one stares into the abyss of the wine glass, a spectrum of shades may become apparent. Is the red wine rendering undertones of tan or brown? In certain whites, a green aura may be another value to identify. What is the hue of the wine?
The blush depicts what, where, when and how. In other words, the color of wine can identify the type of grape, its region of origin, age and whether it's a blend or 100 percent of one grape variety. The dark the intensity of red wine projects its grape variety. For instance, Cabernets and Petite wine Syrahs gravitate toward the deeper red. In terms of Pinot Noir and Merlots, they are generally lighter. However, Merlots may exude more of a density in color.
On the rim of the glass, a wine's coloration can tell its age. By tilting a glass at approximately a 45-degree angle, the edge of the wine may show a tint ranging from brown, purple to orange. Purplish represents youth; whereas, orangey to brownish tints demonstrate maturity.
By the time an aficionado visually inspects the wine for age, blend and color, the aromas should start to burgeon.
Now, without spilling the wine, swirl the glass in gradual circular motions - or until you feel comfortable, enough to give it one vigorous swirl. (This can take a little practice). It enables the wine to open up like a rose blossoming right before the nose as it releases its fragrant constituents. After you stop swirling the glass, you will notice that it is crying or walking back to cavity of the glass. These wine drippings are referred to as the wine's "tears" or "legs." The more prevalent the number of tears or legs, the more alcohol the wine contains.
The Nose
To some, the smell of wine is far more relevant than its taste. Whether a wine taster prefers to sniff, inhale or sip wine, taking in the bouquet or (as some, call it the "nose") is a vital step that should NEVER be skipped. Intensifying the essences of wine is an important facet of the fine art of wine tasting because it arouses the grapes flavors for easy recognition. A rapid way to capture the aroma of wine is to swirl the wine up and down the sides of the glass. As it leaves a small amount of wine residue or a lining along the interior of the glass, these thin layers will evaporate from the exposure to oxygen - emitting a wonderful bouquet.
The Palette
And now for the pay-off, take a moderate sip of wine. In a docile fashion, swish it throughout the mouth's crevices, engaging the different parts of the mouth and tongue to take delight in the culmination of zests. Allow the tongue to frolic, dance and stroke the wine's texture. Is the kiss smooth? Is the tongue left parched or is it invigorated? Amid other sensory engagements, this is the one step that should be indulged with slow deliberation. After all, there's a fine art of wine tasting like an aficionado. Discover more delicious wine tasting tactics from href="http://www.alertsforconsumers.com">TheConsumerJournal.com
About the Author
Please feel free to add this article to your website or ezine with the following message: This article is a courtesy of Holly Bentz, (c) 2006 href="http://fruitionmedia.net">fruitionMedia.net - All Rights Reserved. For more informative consumer information visit href="http://www.alertsforconsumers.com">AlertsForConsumers.com
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Wine Tasting Like an Aficionado
Wine tasting is verisimilar to a fine art. It engages three senses to appreciate the aroma of the bouquet. There's a certain savoir-faire to letting w...
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