Drinking wine is no longer seen as something reserved for the wealthy middle class. In fact as more and more wines are being produced in countries as diverse as South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. This diversity of producer countries has helped to give wine a less pretentious image.
Tasting not Drinking
Tasting wine is very different from drinking. Someone who enjoys a particular type of wine may wish to know more about how it is produced and where it is grown. Many of the great vineyards in France, Spain, Italy and Germany are steeped in years of history and tradition surrounding them and, learning about this history is all part of the tasting process.
Becoming an enthusiast is about knowing all about one particular wine region for example; Chardony or Merlot Taking part in to a tasting event will help you to gain a greater understanding of what to look for in a good wine and help to uncover some of the mystic and ritual that surrounds the art of tasting.
Learning about good wine
A good tasting event for the beginner should;
– be restricted to two very different wines (either 2 reds or 2 white wines)
– include an introductory talk about the two wine regions( a Power point slide show of photographs would be an excellent)
– The tasting should include a total of 4 wines ( preferably two wines from of each region)
A beginner tasting event is not about identifying wines, that is for the advanced taster. It is an opportunity to learn about wine in detail and above all to learn about the kinds of flavours and aromas that you personally like.
All the wines presented should be studied for;
– richness of colour
– aroma
– fullness of taste
The wines should then be compared and similarities and differences noted in detail. There should also be an opportunity for all the participants to rate the wine, and to learn what wines are the lesser quality and those that are the best quality. Willamette Valley wine tours