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Wine tasting is what we’ll be looking at in this part of our wine 101 guide…

When it comes to tasting wine, there are three aspects: smell, taste, and finish. We’ll look at each of those individually.

Swirling your wine in your glass is the first step to smelling it; this process exposes the most amount of the wine to air, which helps release its aromas. To swirl effectively, don’t fill the glass too full – in fact less than half full is recommended. While swirling, put your glass up to your nose and inhale, thinking about what kinds of aromas you’re experiencing. Young wines will have primary aromas, relating to the grape variety (such smells are often fruit related). As wines age more secondary aromas develop, which may be more earthy or animalistic. Remember that a wines aromas can take on many different forms, and very rarely will it simply smell of grapes.

When you taste wine, it’s important to realize that little of the flavor that can be sensed actually involves the tongue. In fact, its your nose that does the tasting, even when wine is in your mouth; this is because the aromas of the wine seep into your nasal passages from your mouth. So, breathe in and out through your nose whilst the wine is in your mouth; paying attention to the way the wine changes as you hold it there. There are different segments to the taste of wine as it remains in your mouth: the fore-palate refers to your first impression, the mid-palate to your taste after a few seconds, and the end-palate to the wines final flavor. Each of these will be different, so look out for the changes in taste.

The finish describes the sensations derived from swallowing the wine. It will often be different to how the wine came across on the palate. The flavors may linger for a while on the palate after the wine has been swallowed, and this is referred to as the length. The more length a wine has, the more time you have to enjoy it, and it’s probably true to say that such wines are generally of better quality.

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There are two primary ways of pairing food and wine. First, it can be done by choosing a wine to accompany the food we eat. And second wine can become a component in the preparation of a meal. Of course, the first activity should always follow the second to provide maximum enjoyment. And, of course, there’s no reason not to enjoy both activities at the same time providing an ideal combination of food and wine.

Enjoying Wine While You Eat

A good wine will aid digestion, enhance the flavor of the food and, in the case of red wine, assist in keeping your heart healthy. There are many differing theories as to which wines to combine best with particular foods. However, I’d like to suggest that if it tastes right, it is right. While some gourmets may argue with this, there seems to be little downside in pairing food and wine in this manner.

Cooking With Wine

French and Italian chefs are renowned for successfully combining wine with food. Both cuisines make extensive use of both red and white wines in meal preparation from appetizers to sauces to desserts.

Pairing food and wine in this way does not leave an alcoholic taste in the food as heating the wine or other liquor typically boils away the alcohol component.

The other rule to consider when cooking with wine is never to cook with a wine that you don’t want to drink. This will often mean opening a bottle of wine just for cooking but the flavor boost to your dinner is worth it. Do not be tempted to cook with that wine that has been sitting open in the fridge for the last week. If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t try to cook with it. Get some more tips about cooking with wine, storing wine and tasting wine at Wine Cellar Secrets.

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