Drinking vs. Tasting
As someone who is actively trying to forge a path for myself within the wine industry, I find myself tasting wine daily. On the days off from the office, I enjoy visiting vineyard locations alone; sometimes tasting 2 or 3 wineries a day. Lately, with the pandemic forcing wineries to shut down to prevent COVID transmission county wide, I have been doing my best to support local wineries by purchasing curbside and tasting at home.
While visiting wineries does not pay my bills (Yet! yes I have a job, and yes it involves wine). It is my belief that by visiting the winery in which the wine being tasted is produced one can gain a clearer perspective on the subject at large. It is my privilege to be so uniquely situated in Napa Valley, the unofficial wine capital of the United States. My goal is to get to know the region, of Napa where I currently reside, as well as the counties adjacent, in order to attain a well-informed voice within the industry I’d like to be a part of.
“I see you posting a lot of wine, are you sure you aren’t drinking a little too much?” -Concerned Friend/Family member
This is a message I have received from a few friends, an old coworker, and even my mother. I take this concern as a valid one, and acknowledge the real threat and existence of alcoholism, especially within the restaurant and hospitality industry. I also understand that this question is often met with defensiveness, having myself been met by it, and how the fear of conflict can sometimes hinder necessary conversation between families and loved ones who may actually need help. With this in mind; I mow the time to respond with care and consideration.
The honest answer to the aforementioned question is for the most part, no, I am not drinking too much. However, I am tasting as much as possible. Part of developing my palate and sharpening my expertise involves regular tasting. However, I would be remiss to omit an honest truth- once or twice a month, I drink wine to “get buzzed”, and I consider these evenings a celebration that’s both needed and welcomed to balance my working lifestyle.
For any wine geek, a typical day of life in my shoes would hardly be considered work. I review hundreds of wine submissions by compiling the technical data found on their label into a database to then be reviewed by a local wine critic. After checking our company email and responding to a few producer inquiries, I unbox the days wine shipments. As I enter specs for each bottle into the system, I begin to mentally catalog which of these I would like to sample. Close to 50 bottles of wine are handled by me per shift. I come across wine from all over the state of California made in every possible style imaginable. There are; still, sparkling, late harvest, natural, biodynamic, and organic wines all being produced in the state of CA. After an official tasting is conducted and reviews written by my editor, there is usually several bottles of freshly opened wine that remains leftover and I am always eager to give them a try. you can imagine how easily I may taste 5-6 wines per day.
There difference between tasting and drinking wine!
Drinking wine can be a fun way to loosen up, de stress and catch a buzz. But tasting, savoring and enjoying wine is a different act entirely. In fact, when I taste wine, I normally don’t actually drink it!
This may come as as a shock but the truth is wine cane be enjoyed intensely without ever tasting it at all. In fact, I often spend more time enamored with the nose ( sometimes called bouquet) or aromatic qualities of a wine than I do tasting it (the palate). Even further, a wine can be tasted without drinking it! The flavor and structure of wine can be determined by holding it in one’s mouth and switching it around for a couple of seconds before spitting it out without ever having to be consumed.
I regard my lifestyle of being able to taste wine where it’s made in Napa as a privilege as well as a responsibility. Tasting wine is a structured activity that can and should be done responsibly.
How to Taste Wine for Evaluation
No matter which method you use for tasting wine, it is important to prepare for any evaluative tasting by creating an optimal tasting environment as well as your palate. This means that your environment as well as your palate have been prepped for tasting wine in its purity.
Preparing Yourself :
Hydrate- Several hours before tasting wine it is important to drink water. Once a tasting has begun, I recommend sipping water between wine samples. Dehydration a common while tasting as spitting wine will cause the mouth to become dry as it loses saliva. Water will moisturize your body as well as your palate and help to cleanse your palate between samples.
Start with a Cleansed Palate- When preparing for tasting you want to begin with a “clean” palate. Avoid eating any foods with lingering flavors ( Unless the goal is to taste wine for a pairing (see: Wine Pairing Basics and Diversify Your Pair). Cross Contamination of flavor can alter ones perception of the wine’s specific flavor and aroma or overpower it all-together.
Preparing your Space
Free your space of Distraction- Your space should be well lit with the Make sure your space is free and clear of distracting odors. Choose a place that is devoid of sensory influencers such as wind or loud music or changing lighting.
Lighting- Make sure you have adequate lighting and a clean surface with at least one white sheet of paper or white wall to use as a backdrop for your wine.
Tools at the ready- At the table, you should have a white sheet of paper to use as a background when assessing color. A glass of water and a spitune for spitting are always a good idea. In terms of notetaking, it will be handy to keep a pen, pencil, paper, phone or notebook devise at the ready to jot down any notes you may have.
Wine Tasting in 5 Easy Steps
Sight/Look- Check the wine’s color and intensity. Use a sheet of white paper or a white wall as a contrast to the glass and calibrate your eyes to the liquid’s true color. Note any visible physical characteristics such as sediment or viscosity.
Swirl- Swish the wine around in a circular motion in the glass. This will induce the release of aromas in the bouquet of the wine.
Nose/Smell- While it is definitely tempting to insert your nose into the glass, try extending the glass as far as you can while still being able to smell the aromas. This is the wine’s intensity. As you moved the glass closer, notice which aromas appear first, are they; floral, fruity, earthy, herbal, or something else entirely ( Mineral, gasoline, honey, etc) ?
Palate/Sip- Avoid immediately swallowing your first sip and instead hold it in your mouth while swirling the liquid around with your tounge. It is at this point that I suggest formulating an initial opinion; DO YOU LIKE THE WINE? yes/no? Very simple. Next, note the flavors that come easily to mind. In the beginning, you may only think of grapes, or wine- THIS IS OKAY! as you develop your palate, you will naturally become more aware of distinctive flavors and be able to identify them. Finally, swallow or spit the wine and concentrate on the flavor and feeling left in your mouth. How long does the flavor or feeling last? The answer to this question helps to determine the complexity of the wine.
(Optional) Spit- Yes! swirl the wine around in your mouth and then spit it out! Don’t be shy about this step. It is quite polite to keep your mind and palate fresh when tasting multiple wines at one time.
