How to Taste Wine like A Professional - My 9 S Rule

Only you can find out what your palate likes. So pull yourself a chair next to me and let's start learning how to enjoy wine together, starting with ‘how to taste like a professional’!

Ready? Then let’s apply my “9 S rule” to drinking wine:

• S is for Slant and See: Pour a small amount of wine into a tulip-shape glass – one where the bowl is larger than the rim – and tilt the glass. Examine the colour against a white background, for the colour alone can denote the wine’s age and provenance, its alcohol level and quality (or faults). Choose between ruby red (red, red, red), purple (red with pink of blue hues) or amber (red with an orange hue). The intensity of the colour is also relevant, as it goes hand in hand with the body of the wine: light in intensity (ie can you see the stem when looking at your glass of wine from above? Yes, it’s light in intensity of colour. No, it’s full in intensity of colour) means light in terms of the body too; full in intensity of colour means it’s a full-bodied wine.

 

• S is for Swirl and Sniff: Swirl with force to introduce as much air as possible and to therefore release the wine’s olfactive molecules. Now get your nose well inside that glass and deeply inhale the trapped aromas that are now coming your way. What do you smell: freshly mowed lawns or old leather? Red or black fruits and berries? Vanilla ice cream or lemon zest? Close your eyes; it really helps. 


 

• S is for Sip, Swirl and Suck: Take a decent sip and swish it around your mouth and gums. You will need to suck air in through your teeth (in order to release aroma molecules) at the same time as swishing it all around your mouth (come on, Ladies, we know you can do two things at once!). You should first sense tannins, sugar and acidity or freshness, rather than specific flavours. Then your mid-palate should pick up things like spiciness or fruitiness – but what kind of fruit: apples or pears? Strawberries or blackberries? And spices: sweet like cloves or savoury like black pepper? You might get others, such as honey or tobacco, for instance. 


 

• S is for Spit (or is it for Swallow? I can never remember! lol): to allow the finish to develop. How long does the wine linger on the back of the mouth and throat? A long finish, with flavours evolving and changing usually denotes a good, complex wine like an aged red. Think about other factors – was the wine a good balance between, say, fruit and spices or dominated by one flavour? Did the tannins pucker your mouth? Was it overly sweet or acidic? What ageing potential does this wine have? And what kind of food might it match?

Go on, have a go yourself! And remember: practice makes perfect, so join me, Cécile Bergart, Owner, Sommelier, Wine Tutor and Champagne Expert for fun tastings. Dates of events and Gift Vouchers available from this website. If you have any questions about wines, then do not hesitate to email me at info@hampshirewineschool.com for more information and tips. I’ll be happy to help.

Cécile x