Here at Barefoot we don’t mind if you don’t know your Merlot from your Malbec, as we think all wine is delicious. But there may come a time where you get caught up in a serious conversation with your boss, potential client or partner’s parents about wine.
In those moments, you may need to put your fantastic blagging skills to good use. So, here are the wine tasting tips for beginners you’ll need to ensure you’re sipping with the best of them. You can fool anyone into thinking you’re a wine connoisseur with these wine tasting tips!
Swirl, sniff, slurp and see
The most difficult part is remembering the basic wine tasting tips and process. But, all you really need to know are these four rules.
First you must swirl your glass slowly and carefully, not spilling a drop.
Then take a sip. All slurping noises are welcome and the volume can be altered depending on how fancy the company is.
Next take a sniff, smelling all that wine goodness. Make sure this sniff is obvious. You may want to tilt your head back in awe to really show how great you think the wine is.
Lastly hold the glass up to the light, twirling the stem between two fingers as you place your hand on your chin, staring and humming intently.
Wine tasting buzzwords
With your audience in the palm of your hand you should excite them by dropping in some buzzwords for ultimate success. Among all the humming in agreement you’ll want to use some of these words to help describe the wine you’re tasting. Remember to note the flavours as dry, crisp, oaky, soft or fruity.
When talking about how it smells, mention the aromas (ingredients you can smell) that make up the bouquet (overall flavour). The body of a wine is how it feels against your palate.
A light-bodied wine is fresh, without leaving too much of an obvious finish (aftertaste).
The notes of a fuller body can linger.
Grab your thesaurus
Have a bit of fun with describing what you see, smell and sip. Just like the grape, this is the chance to show off your colourful personality; so think outside the box.
Some examples you could (probably best not to) use:
- This bouquet is as fruity as a Christmas cake!
- Cor! Check out the body on that!
- I’m getting oaky, woodland aromas. Almost national park vibes.
Fake it till you make it
Two good blind wine tasting tips are to simply look interested and ask questions. Saying ‘hum yes, I agree’ is a good start as it’ll build instant rapport with your guest. All the best tips on wine tasting say it’s all about having confidence. If you say you like wine, they’ll believe you like wine! It’s all in the delivery after all, so, raise your noise high in the air and project your voice. If all else fails, ask if they decant and quickly excuse yourself for some fresh air.
Do remember that wine tasting is all down to personal preference so don’t worry too much, just pour a glass, take a sip and enjoy!