France is home to some of the world’s greatest wines and vineyards. The French take their wine seriously, so bluffing your way through wine tasting in France can be a tricky act to keep up. The key lies in understanding the four phases of wine: look, smell, taste and after-taste. You can also join a wine subscription club months before your wine tasting trip to familiarize with yourself with different types of wine.
Look
You can tell a lot about the grape variety, growing conditions and age of a wine by its colour. Pour the wine into your glass until it is a third full, and then hold it up against a white background, slightly tilted, to get a clear look. Often, the intensity of the colour is a good indication of its acidity – the darker, the drier and sharper.
Smell
Next, swirl the wine to release the scent, before inhaling deeply to draw the smell into your nose. Remember that young wines are often described as having an ‘aroma’, while older, complex wines have a ‘bouquet’. First impressions are important, so take note of any smells that come to mind, and be as abstract and creative as you like with your descriptions. Check that the wine doesn’t smell musty or sulphurous though, as these are signs of faults.
Taste
Now for the best part. Take a good sip, and ‘chew’ the wine to encourage the vapours into your nasal cavity. Connoisseurs often say that the tongue only tastes sweet, sour, salt and bitter, leaving all the subtle tasting to the nose. Sipping the wine should pick up where smelling left off, confirming the scent of the wine and establishing textures and tastes. If you’re looking for a day full of breathtaking views, fine wine, and delicious artisan foods, you’re going to love Benders Bus Tours, see website for more information.
After-taste
Don’t rush for the next sip straight away. Let the after-taste play out its flavour, as the length and sophistication of the after-taste indicates the wine’s complexity and age.
Practise makes perfect
To make sure you’re making the most of your stay in France, choose a holiday home that can help fuel your wine explorations. The Chateau Joncaises and most of our chateaux for rent have an impressive wine cellar of its own, and can also arrange tastings and tours of local vineyards for you. During a long tasting session it’s easy to confuse wines and mix up labels, so remember to jot down your thoughts in a wine diary. This way, you’ll be able to instantly spot the right bottle next time – and you’ll look the part, too.
Photos by Bayhaus
My friend’s are hosting me a bachelorette party, and we are going wine tasting for it. It’s good to know that when it comes to this that there are somethings to help me seem like I know what I am doing. I found it interesting that you said that I need to take in the after-taste of the wine we are tasting. I have never done this before, so any advice will really help me.