Tips and tricks for your wine tasting

A successful wine tasting begins with good preparation.

Schedule:
Before beginning the wine tasting, make sure your senses are not distracted by any other impressions. Your full attention should be focused solely on the wine. We want to not only taste it, but also perceive its aromas and color nuances.
Eyes:
The first step is to examine the wine. Not only the color is of interest, but also its brightness and clarity. If a wine is particularly light and transparent, this usually means that the sugar content is lower.
The so-called "church windows" are a common characteristic that is immediately noticeable. These streaks, also known as wine tears, form on the inside of the wine glass when the wine is swirled. They indicate the wine's density, which is reflected in its alcohol or sugar content. The higher the alcohol and/or sugar levels, the wider and slower-flowing these "church windows" will be.
Nose:
Why am I swirling the glass?
The glass is swirled before smelling to mix in more oxygen and thus support the development of the aromas in the wine. This creates a more intense aroma and makes the components more clearly defined.
Three distinct stages are distinguished: The aromas of the primary aroma stage originate from the grape variety – these are the "fruity impressions" that immediately catch our attention. The secondary stage comprises the notes that develop during fermentation. Here, lactic, lactic acid-like characteristics can be detected. Tertiary aromas are those that develop both in the barrel and through the aging process. Typical examples here are aromas such as vanilla or wood spice.
Mouth:
Of course, the third sense is the sense of taste. The mouth tastes and perceives the different flavors via the taste buds on the tongue.
These include: bitter, sour, salty, sweet, and umami. Perhaps the most obvious difference is between dry and sweet, although with many aromatic grape varieties, the term "extract sweetness" is often used. Acidity plays an important role in Wines, as sugar and acidity are crucial for the maturation of great Wines.
It's quite clear here: practice makes perfect. After carefully tasting a few bottles, you'll already perceive wine in a completely different way 😉

Tips:
A good group size for a wine tasting is 6-10 people. This makes it easier to fully concentrate on the wine and get to know its individual components. A bottle of wine contains approximately 12 tasting portions. Usually, one more bottle than the number of guests is planned for a tasting.
It's important that you don't let other aromas distract you. For this reason, still water is usually the only recommended beverage during tasting. Even smells like tobacco or perfume can divert you from the aroma and taste of the wine. To neutralize the palate, for example during larger tastings, drinks like coffee or beer can help, as they counteract acidity and tannins. However, we're talking about an espresso or a shot of schnapps followed by some water to wash away the offending taste.

You need:
At a wine tasting, the most important thing is the wine itself. Apart from a good wine glass, no special equipment is needed.
Something you shouldn't forget, but probably already have at home:
a corkscrew, spittoons, DropStop, aluminum foil or a wine bottle sock to cover the bottle, pen and paper for notes.

Wine tasting: the correct order

During a wine tasting, you'll sample Wines from light to full-bodied, from dry to sweet. Appropriate glasses, neutral accompaniments like bread, and a little time make every wine tasting a truly memorable experience.