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Wine is one of the most sophisticated forms of alcohol that is enjoyed all over the world now. Along with its rich and luxurious history, there are different kinds of wine that are produced and cherished in various parts of the world. The production of wine is quite a time-consuming procedure, and it is laborious, too. Whether you are served wine along with a fancy meal, as a part of the celebration, or while visiting a winery, the art of tasting a variety of wines is a sensory journey in itself.
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Through centuries of cultivation and refinement, winemakers have honed their craft, employing techniques passed down through generations to coax the purest expression of their grapes. Tasting wine, like any skill, is both an art and a science, requiring practice, patience, and an open mind. While there are no strict rules or formulas to follow, there are certain techniques and considerations that can enhance the tasting experience and help unravel the complexities of wine.
Swirl The Wine
Swirling wine is a crucial step in tasting like a pro. As you swirl, the wine coats the glass, releasing its aroma molecules. This action aerates the wine, allowing oxygen to interact with it, unlocking hidden flavours and enhancing its bouquet. Additionally, swirling helps to assess a wine's viscosity and legs, the streaks that form on the glass giving insights into its alcohol content and body.
Smell The Wine
Smelling the wine is a crucial part of tasting wine like a professional wine taster. But before you smell your favourite wine, make sure you swirl your wine before to aerate the wine. You can smell the wine as much as you like it to immerse yourself in the fruity and floral flavours that are produced by a great wine. It is said that you eat or drink your dishes by its aroma first. Hence, you must smell your wine before you taste it.
Take The Sip
Sipping your favourite wine is the most important and final step of tasting your wine. Various types of wine have different mouth feel. Hence, when you sip on your wine, make it sit in your mouth a little to experience its texture, flavour, acidity levels, tannins, etc. Your tongue is the king of tasting ingredients. Thus, you must let it sit for a while to immerse yourself in the the actual flavours of a good wine.
Notice Wine Legs
Wine legs, also known as wine tears, are the rivulets that form on the inside of a wine glass after swirling and then slowly descending. These legs are not merely decorative; they offer insights into a wine's composition and quality. The presence of legs indicates the wine's alcohol content and viscosity. Thicker, slower-moving legs suggest higher alcohol and glycerin levels, indicating a fuller-bodied wine.
Sip On Water
If you are in a winery and you are there for a tasting session of different kinds of wines, then sipping water after every wine taste is extremely crucial. Water is important because of its palate-cleansing capabilities, moreover, water is also crucial for maintaining hydration while sipping on alcohol for a long time. The flavour profile of the wine is much lighter than any other alcohol, thus, to distinguish between the various types of wine, make sure you are sipping on water before judging the wine samples.
