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Walked posted:Yeah, no worries there. Noone did. I just felt kinda retarded because I know nothing. Yes. Specific wineries will have tastings of all their wines, which is great when you find you enjoy a bottle from a certain brand and want to try their other wines. Specialty shops can be great for trying a wide array of wines. Walked posted:Anyone care to give me a rundown on Wine Tasting etiquette? If you are expected to wear a tuxedo/gown to a tasting, expect to be very polite, and etiquette conscious. As a general guideline, don't go to these tastings until you've got more experience under you. I too felt very lost at my first tasting. I find a good way to get around that feeling of idiocy or of being lost is to bring along a friend who is interested. They can really make it into a great time. You may not be able to taste much when you first start out, and you really don't have to. I can't stress that enough, you don't have to pick out that hint of burnt cocoa nib on the nose with a dry, velvet mouth-feel on your first glass. It takes time to build your palate, don't rush it. The water between wines and the drink/spit conundrum. First thing to realize is that water is not necessary, but it is/can be helpful. It is meant to cleanse your palate, and rinse your glass. Again, neither of which is necessary. If you are a professional wine critic/taster, you may want to seriously consider using it. The second thing is to know how much wine is available for tasting, how many wines you expect to taste that evening, and how long you have. If there are only five or six wines available, like at a small vintner or winery, you can drink them all down no problem (depending on your alcohol tolerance and availability of a safe ride home). If you are at a large tasting with 50, 60, 100, 200 wines, you will obviously be spitting. So the spit as you go advice is rather situational. It is a very good idea to taste from light to full bodied wine. In terms of color this means white to rose/pink to red. This is a very basic guideline. Many good servers will ask and advise you which of their wines to start with, as well as a proper progression through their wines. Don't be afraid to ask about anything that you notice in the wine, or what you can expect. In all my experience with the wine community, I have yet to encounter someone who looks down upon a new drinker. Ask ask ask ask ask. What do the legs mean? What does dry mean? What is the difference between full and medium bodied? And so on. Oh! Before I forget. If you are at a tasting where you choose to spit, there is a easy way to do it. Assuming your wine glass is only filled for a mouthful, once you have tasted that mouthful, spit back into your glass, then pour it out into the spittoon, then rinse it with a bit of water. It's a much less vulgar way to do it. If you like a wine, great! Try and figure out why you like it. Is it the taste? The texture? The after taste? Do you like how it smells? If you dislike a wine, oh well. Spit it back into your glass and pour it out. Again, find out what you didn't like. Was it too bitter? Did it dry your mouth out too much? Horrible after taste? Talk to your server about it, mention what you liked and disliked about it. The more you talk and ask and taste different wine regions, types, varietals, etc, the more you will know what to look for. Wine is fun and delicious and once you know a bit about it, drag your friends into it too! Have wine parties! Above all, have fun and enjoy yourself!
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Dec 22, 2011 08:25
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Mister Macys posted:Just out of curiousity, how are unoaked wines, in comparison with their oak-aged brethren? Unoaked wines generally tend to be sweeter and fruitier. Oaked or unoaked, they're both very worthy of drinking. As for blended wines, they can be incredible! I tend to have the hardest time picking out blends, as they're still fairly new for me. That said, when you find a really good one, it is REALLY GOOD. Don't let it fool you into thinking it's cheap or bad because it is blended. They're blended to bring different flavors and balance. A lot of small wineries do this to increase their product range, and they do it well. Give them a shot!
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Dec 22, 2011 18:46
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nwin posted:I don't try to act like I know a thing about wines, but I've been really in to Cabernet Sauvignon lately. All the spouts do is aerate the wine, which is pretty much what decanting is meant to do. Decanters present a large surface area for aeration. Is decanting necessary? No. However you may want to seriously consider it if you're getting into very expensive bottles of wine. All it really does is allow the wine to mellow some, and gain some temperature. You're allowing the wine to 'breathe', to purge it's excess tannins and such. The more air your wine sees, the more mellow it will be.
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Dec 28, 2011 03:59
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I'm still searching for a great rose. It's been a challenge.
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Jan 9, 2012 17:02
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Cpt.Wacky posted:What are the qualities of a good rosé? I've only had this local one and it seemed good, but I'm not very experienced with tasting. 4liters posted:nice, crisp, and refreshing 4liters described them pretty well. They should be crisp, refreshing, clean, and in some cases, fruity. Light flavors, but not watered down. Lower alcohol content as well.
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Jan 9, 2012 18:25
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