5 Tips To Becoming a Wine Connoisseur
Monday, October 23, 2017
If wine is your go to drink and you are looking to kick it up a notch and learn a thing or two about the wines you purchase, or if you are preparing for a trip to enjoy some of the world’s best wine testing, here are a few short steps that will ensure you become a wine connoisseur!
Acquiring The Taste
Wine-tasting professionals have developed a method of categorizing wines by more in-depth tastes. So developing your palate to get used to the taste and smell of wine is an essential step. Most wines are depicted as off-dry, dry, sweet or fruity. After tasting at least 5 difference wines (Pinto Grigio, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot or Malbec) your mouth will start to recognize the different taste and feelings from each.
Comparing Flavours and Smells
Once you have tried a few different wines, choose the ones you enjoyed most and try testing your sense of smell by closing your eyes. The glass is tenderly moved around, empowering the release of fragrances from the wine. You will be able to identify subtle distinctions for each and will help you recognize which one you are trying. With practice, this is where the professionals gulp and mix their wine which allows more precise and continuous tasting. If you can master comparing flavours and smells, you are half way there.
Reading
As with everything, reading and becoming as well informed as possible is key – same comes with becoming a wine connoisseur. Read books about how wines are made, different types of grapes used, grapes from different regions of the world, or how the age of wine affects its flavour. This will give you a better understanding of the quality of wines and appreciate their taste.
Taking Risks
It is important to add as much variety to the wines you have tasted, whether they’re the most expensive wines, trying less known wines or taking risks and trying bolder ones will also assist in developing a better taste. There are so many wines out there and the best way to find out your preferred wines and to better appreciate their taste is to step out of your comfort zone and try new wines.
Pairing Wine with Food
Now that you have tested all sorts of wines and starting to recognize each smell, the grapes and even regions of where they’re from - It is time to pair the right wine with the right food. You have your basic pairs which you probably have heard of by now: red wine goes with red meats, white wines goes with seafood and a few white meats. However, the most important part is experimenting different types of wine with different foods to discover your personal favourites. Wine should accompany the food and not overpower the taste of it.
Your journey to becoming a wine connoisseur has only just begun - Make sure you read up, go wine tasting, experiment and even take up a class!
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