Introduction
If you’ve been in the wine valley before, you probably have heard people saying –
“I don’t have much idea about wine, but I’m pretty sure what I’ll like.”
Well, I know that it’s a psychological thing, but it isn’t true.
You simply cannot like a wine that you don’t have any idea about. In a worst-case scenario, you might end up choosing the wrong product, which you may hate with all your heart, as long as you’re not planning on smuggling a bad wine.
So, what should you do?
Well, training your palate can be a great place to start your journey, if I’m being honest. And, in this article, I’ll tell you precisely how you can do that. So, let’s get started!
How To Develop Your Palate For Wine Tasting?
Before I get started, here’s something I want you to remember.
Wine tasting doesn’t really have to be an intimidating or pretentious event. It’s a place where you’ve gone to have some fun and excitement.
And, it’s okay if you don’t find something tasty like a friend of yours. After all, everyone has a different kind of palate and, therefore, might not like something the majority of people love. If you’re new to the world of wine, you may also want to consider a wine concierge service offering private wine tastings from recommended bespoke wineries.
So, keeping that in mind, let’s get started!
Tip – 1: Have A Close Look.
The very first thing you’ll want to do is look at the hue of the wine. Do it in a neutral light or something as such. And, if you don’t have access to that, you can also hold it against a piece of paper or a white tablecloth. The more you look at it, the more you’ll discover.
For example, the color of wine can tell you about how it might taste or its age. For instance, if the hue of the wine looks a little transparent, that means it’s old. Conversely, a new wine will have a deeper color with more depth in the whole outlook.
Tip – 2: Take Sniff.
It might sound a little weird, but sniffing the wine is quite popular in the culture. And, there’s a scientific reason behind such virtue as well.
A freshly-made wine product will smell quite healthy, almost like a fruit. The aroma of it will feel a little warm and go pretty easy on your nose.
However, if it’s old, it might have a fragrance like a wet newspaper. And, honestly, I think it might taste like that too. So, do avoid them if you don’t want to ruin your evening.
Tip – 3: Swirl Your Glass And Take Another Sniff.
Yes, even if you’ve sniffed the wine once, you should do it again – after swirling your glass at least once, of course. This way, you might get the smell of something else you didn’t before.
Also, giving your glass a swirl before drinking will make all the chemicals get mixed up with each other accordingly. Therefore, the whole presentation will become much more aromatic.
Tip – 4: Taste It Slowly.
Once you’re familiar with the smell of the wine, you should try tasting it slowly. Take a small sip and drink it slowly. It should help you detect if the wine is full- or light-bodied.
In addition, you can also identify the texture of the wine this way – if it looks drying or oily. If it makes your tongue feel dry, it probably contains a high amount of tannin.
The taste of a wine can also be considered as time-based – there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end to it. And, each of them has a different sort of delicacy. So, ask yourself, how long does it take until the wine doesn’t taste the same way it did before?
Tip – 5: Enjoy!
Finally, now, you should start chatting with your friends while drinking. If you like the taste, you can go for another bout, obviously. But, there’s no need to hurry at all.
Slow down, think of the smell of the wine a little, and take a sip again. And, keep doing it as long as you don’t feel like the taste of the beverage is lost.
The Best Thing – Have Fun!
Here’s the thing.
Training your palate doesn’t happen overnight, if I’m being honest. Thus, it’s always better to keep practicing for a while. And, once you start identifying the core elements perfectly, you can consider your job to be done.
Anyway, that’ll be all for this article, though. I’ll catch you on the next one.
Have a great day ahead!