This step is one of the most important in a wine tasting (and not just because you will have wine in your glass). Color can tell you a lot about what the wine is going to taste like- generally speaking, the deeper the color, the more full-bodied, intense, and fruity the wine will be.  So if you are drinking a Pinot Noir it is usually going to be a bit lighter than say a Zinfandel. Same goes for whites- the lighter the color (hello sauvignon blanc), the more the flavor will be citrusy and bright, whereas deeper yellows will be more peachy or pear-y.

Even though you may feel like a fool swirling your wine around, there’s actually a reason people do this. Half of the fun in wine tasting is discovering what scents you can pick up from a wine, and swirling helps to open up the flavors, making it easier to pick out distinctive scents. “But Molly,” you might say, “How do I keep my wine from splashing all over my shirt?” Good question! Here’s an easy way to swirl: hold the stem of your wine glass between your pointer and middle fingers, making sure to keep the glass on the table (or whatever surface you are swirling on). Using your hand as an anchor, move the glass in a small circular motion while making sure that the glass never comes off the table. Voila! You’re a champion wine swirler!

Now comes the fun part- tip your nose into the glass and take a big sniff of the wine. Smells like wine, right? Maybe so, but take a minute to look beyond the obvious wine scent and see what you can pick up. Knowing a little about the wine or reading the label is a good way to start. If you see the wine has spent a lot of time in an oak barrel, see if you can pick up vanilla or smoke. Drinking a Chardonnnay? Look for buttery fruits like pears and bananas. If you do this often, you’ll start noticing that some varietals have similar characteristics, and you can impress all your friends when they tell you to guess which wine they’re drinking.

This is actually the best part of wine tasting because you’re drinking the wine. Take a sip and see if any of the things you smelled earlier show up- does it taste like cherries? Pepper? Like red wine? Either way, take a good sip and enjoy the way the wine tastes.

Here at G & B, our favorite thing about wine isn’t the tasting, or the swirling, or the smelling. Instead, we love drinking wine and talking about the experience. That’s why we think wine tasting should be shared. Talk about what you tasted with your friends, or pop open a bottle and taste together. The great thing about wine is that it can be enjoyed alone (truth- there are few things better than a glass of wine outside after a long day at work), but it’s also a fantastic community activity. So grab some pals, some glasses, and a few bottles, and see what you discover!