How To Get The Most Out Of Wine Tastings

If you're headed to one of America's wine regions this vacation season, you'll likely include at least one wine tour on your itinerary. Wine tours give you the freedom to enjoy the tastings without having to pick a designated driver and/or worry about directions. However, if you've never been to a winery for a tasting before, you might be a little uncertain of how such events work. Don't fret; here is a list of tips to help you get the most from your visit.

Wine tasting tips

1. Taste the wine whites first. The best order for tasting is to start with the white wines, and then switch over to the red wines. White wines are generally lighter and they don't have the tannins that you'll find in many red wines. Starting with the whites allows you to savor each wine without the heavier wines overpowering the lighter ones.

2. Taste the dry wines first. Within the white and red categories, you'll also want to start with the drier wines and work towards the sweeter ones. Sweetness can linger on your palette and affect the taste of any dry wines you sip later on.

3. Sip, don't gulp. Sipping is the key word when sampling wines at a winery tasting room. You want to take just a small amount of the liquid in your mouth, and swirl it around with your tongue to get the maximum flavor from it.

4. It's okay to spit. Tasting wine is all about learning more about different wines. It's not designed to get a person inebriated. In fact, many wineries have buckets on the tasting bar where you can spit out the wine after you've tasted it. Don't worry about what your mother might think. This is a perfectly acceptable practice.

5. Cleanse your palette with crackers. Another thing you might see on the tasting bar is a plate of dry crackers. These are designed to help you clean your taste buds between tastings. You don't necessarily need to eat one between every wine, but it's a good idea to have one when switching from whites to reds or when switching from dry wines to sweet wines.

6. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most wineries welcome questions. That's how potential customers learn about their wines. Don't be afraid to pose questions to the tasting room host or hostess. You may find that they are also the winery owner or the winemaker.

Stopping at your first winery for a tasting can sometimes be intimidating. Don't let your fears get in the way of learning and enjoying wine. Just remember to start with the dry wines and the white wines, sip your wine, and be sure to ask questions. Let a limousine service, like Ambassador Limousine, take you around, and simply enjoy your day at the wineries.

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