Tasting wine isn't about having a fancy vocabulary โ it's five simple steps that slow you down so you actually notice what's in the glass. Learn the rhythm once and every wine gets more interesting. There are no wrong answers; if you taste blackberry and your neighbor tastes plum, you're both right. Tap any step to open it.
The Five S's
1
See โ look at the wine
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Tilt the glass against something white (a napkin works) and just look. Color tells you a surprising amount.
- Whites deepen from pale straw to gold as they age or see oak; reds fade from purple toward brick-red with age.
- Give it a swirl and watch the "legs" (or "tears") run down the glass โ thicker, slower legs hint at higher alcohol or sweetness, not quality.
- The wine should be clear, not cloudy (a little sediment in an old red is normal).
No need to overthink it โ a quick look sets you up for the aromas to come.
2
Swirl โ wake it up
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Keep the glass on the table, hold the stem, and move it in small circles. It feels showy, but there's real science to it.
- Swirling coats the glass and mixes in air, which releases the wine's aromatic compounds so there's far more to smell.
- Hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl โ that keeps your hand from warming the wine and your fingerprints off the glass.
Nervous about spills? Swirl with the base flat on the table until it feels natural โ no one's watching.
3
Smell โ the best part
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Put your nose right into the glass and take a few short sniffs. Most of what we call "taste" is really smell โ so this is where a wine reveals itself.
- Don't chase the "right" answer. Ask simply: fruit (which fruit?), flowers or herbs, or other โ vanilla, oak, leather, smoke, butter?
- Fresh, fruity smells often mean a younger wine; earthy, savory, nutty notes often come with age or oak.
The single biggest upgrade to your tasting is just spending more time here. Smell before every sip and the flavors will suddenly make sense.
4
Sip โ taste with intent
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Take a real sip and let it roll around your whole mouth before swallowing. You're feeling for a handful of things:
- Sweetness โ bone-dry to dessert-sweet (felt on the tip of the tongue).
- Acidity โ the tart, mouth-watering zing that makes wine refreshing.
- Tannin โ the drying, grippy feel in reds (like strong tea), from grape skins.
- Body โ does it feel light like skim milk, or full like cream?
Pros sometimes slurp a little air through the sip to spread the aromas โ feel free to try it, or don't. See Helpful Terms for any of these words.
5
Savor โ the finish
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After you swallow (or spit), notice what's left behind โ the finish.
- How long does the flavor linger? A long, evolving finish is one hallmark of a fine wine.
- Is the aftertaste pleasant? Fruity, spicy, bitter, warming? Does it make you want another sip?
- Take a moment to form an overall impression: did you like it? That's the only judgment that ultimately matters.
Trust your own palate. The goal of tasting isn't to agree with an expert โ it's to figure out what you enjoy, so you can find more of it.
At Our Events
6
How our tastings run โ and a few good habits
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Each event pours 8โ9 wines around a theme โ typically a sparkling to open, then a flight of whites and a flight of reds. Here's how to get the most from it:
- We taste in a sensible order: sparkling and lighter whites first, building to the bolder reds โ so a big Cabernet doesn't flatten a delicate white.
- Pours are small tasting portions by design โ that's how you can sample nine wines. It's about comparing, not filling the glass.
- There's no shame in using the spit or dump bucket โ it's how you stay sharp across a whole flight. Sip water and nibble a plain cracker between wines to reset your palate.
- Jot a quick note on the ones you love, so you can seek them out later. A word or two is plenty.
๐ Curious what a grape will taste like before you pour it? The Wine Style Explorer gives you the quick profile of each one.