Skip to main content
logo
1-800-719-9805Help & contactEarn free travel
logo1-800-719-9805
BlogGlobal cuisineWatch: Tips for your next wine tasting
Global cuisine

Watch: Tips for your next wine tasting

Oct 26, 2016 by Courtney Keller

After being surprised by sparkling wine, we’re talking about wine tasting in this installment of our Toast to travel series. Properly tasting wine can seem a little intimidating, but there are actually only a few steps you need to remember to do it well. We caught up with Tyler Balliet, founder and president of Wine Riot South End, about how to taste wine like a pro. Check out his pointers in this video and read a recap of the four simple tips below.

First, take a look

Hold up your glass and get a good look at the wine. Check it out from several different angles and inspect its color. The more you do this, the more you’ll be able to associate color with flavor.

Give it a swirl

Tilt your glass in a circular motion so that the liquid inside moves around. This movement adds oxygen, which makes the wine more volatile and brings out its existing smell.

Next, sniff it

Don’t be afraid to put your nose right in your glass for this step. Take a few sniffs. Are the scents floral? Fruity? Earthy? Try to see if you can identify any of the aromas you pick up.

Lastly, take a sip

It’s time for that long-awaited taste. When you take your first sip, making a slurping noise is actually encouraged. It may sound funny, but it helps to aerate the wine. Swish it around so it moves to different parts of your tongue and you can take in the wine’s flavors. Now, you get to enjoy the rest of the glass—cheers!

Have you ever been to a wine tasting on a Food & Wine Tour? Have any tips of your own to share? Tell us in the comments on Facebook.


Toast to travelFood & Wine Tours
About the author | Courtney Keller
A lover of travel since studying in France, Courtney strives to inspire others to get out and see the world. When she’s not writing, she’s trying new restaurants, reading, doing yoga, baking, walking her rescue pup, or planning her next trip.
Global cuisine
Toast to travel: Sake, Japan’s signature drink

Explore our food & wine tours

Food & Wine: Flavors of Tuscany & Umbria
11 days | 13 days with Rome extension

4.7 out of 5 stars

362
From 
$4,729*
 $4,429*
View tour
View tour