Have you ever wished to sound like a wine expert even if you are not? Some people get intimidated when they hear terms like tannin, oaked, dry, varietals, etc. Pretend to be a wine expert by using phrases like, “I love the red” or “Cab is my thing” or even “It is chocolatey” or “2016 was a good year”.
Let’s assume that you are at a wine bar somewhere in California and as the go-to wine connoisseur, it is time to order for your group. The bartender or server tells you they have a new varietal and asks if you would like to taste it for you and provide feedback and maybe order or recommend it for your group. You either start sweating or consider opting out. You may also try to be a hero from zero by faking your way. With the pro tips in this blog, you will feel confident and sound like a wine connoisseur.
1. Know Some Wine Language
Most experts use wine terms as well as language to stand out from the crowd. So, before tasting a wine, you need to know some basic lingo and use it. Learning the right glossary of wine terms is a great move you can make to sound like a pro. So, let’s get started.
Dry: The first word in this context is dry. The term “dry” refers to the taste it leaves in your mouth because of the total amount of sugars remaining in the wine after fermentation. Winemaking is basically the conversion of the sugars in the grapes into alcohol. When all the sugars are converted into alcohol, all or most of the sweetness is gone, it is referred to as dry. The word dry can be applied to both red and white wines.
Varietal: This is simply a type of grape that is used to make wine or a wine that is made from one type of grape.
Fruit forward: “Fruit forward” is a term to describe a style of wine where the fruit flavors are dominant. Secondly, “fruit-forward” can be a way to express disappointment in a wine that’s out of balance and lacking complexity. The term can be used to refer to wines that are simple, cheap and/or one-dimensional.
Savory: The next term is savory. Sipping wine and saying, “the wine is just savory” makes you stand out from the crowd. Savory is a term used to describe a wine that is opposite to other wines with prominent fruit characters. It is the opposite of “sweet” wine. If a wine gives the perception of anything other than fruit; it is considered “savory”.
Vintage: Now, here’s the most important wine term. Instead of using the year that the grape was harvested, use the term vintage. Light, medium, or full-bodied: Now, it’s time for some heavy wine terms. If the wine feels light and refreshing in your mouth, it’s light-bodied. If it fills your mouth with its complex flavors and texture, it’s full-bodied. However, if it falls somewhere in middle, it’s simply medium-bodied.
Breathe, or Aerate: At last, you can expertly say that the wine needs to breathe or aerate. Aerate? Breathe? This is basically just a fancy word that wine connoisseurs use to explain letting your wine breathe. This may seem weird since wine isn’t alive. Breathing or aeration really means taking the time for your wine to oxidize and evaporate in other words to smooth out the flavors, especially in red wines.
2. Give Some Love to Your Wine Glass
The way you hold the wine glass matters a lot. You can look like a wine connoisseur by just holding the glass by its stem. However, you should never grip it by its bowl. Holding the wine glass by the stem keeps your drink at a normal temperature. It also helps to hold its aromas and flavors. The best benefit is that you’ll have a smudge-free glass offering a clear view of wine in it. We must say, swirling your glass will make you look classy.
3. Learn The 5 Ss of Wine Tasting
After a long hectic day, it’s soothing to taste wine, savoring its deep flavors. To enhance this experience, you must know the proper way of tasting wine. It’s when the 5 Ss of wine tasting: SEE, SWIRL, SMELL, SIP, and SAVOR come into play. Take your time and follow the process. This mantra will surely help! Start with looking at your bottle of wine and observing its vintage. Then, SEE if it is clear or dull. Now while holding the glass by its stem, just SWIRL it. Swirling aerates the wine and unlocks its aromas. After that, SMELL your wine. Inhale its deep aromas and fragrances. Moving to the most-awaited step, SIP a little portion of wine and enjoy it. Now, SAVOR the richness of the wine and enjoy its long-lasting taste.
4. Ask the Bartender or Server
You have two choices after seeing the long list of wine selections at your wine bar, you can either fake it or just ask the server/bartender for recommendations. The idea of asking sommeliers for recommendations may leave you anxious, remember they’re your helpers in the guise of wine enthusiasts. You can learn from them and unveil the wine connoisseur in you. However, if you choose to fake it, you must know which type of wine you like, full-bodied, fruity, or varietal. Also, be very clear with the price you are ready to pay. The bartender will do
the rest by making a few suggestions. Thus, you can sound like a wine expert by nodding to one of their proposals.
5. If Confused, Just Decant
Do you wish to look like a wine expert at a party? Just follow a simple step. If you’re drinking red wine, simply decant it into a jug and let it aerate. It will make you look like you are doing something important. Slow decanting can make low-grade wines taste much better. Thus, you’ll be doing a favor for everyone present there.
6. Brush Up Your Wine Knowledge
There’s nothing better than sharing wine facts to sound like a wine connoisseur. While pouring the wine, try presenting some facts. This way, you will be able to surprise the crowd with your wine knowledge. You can ask them some wine-related questions starting with ‘do you know?’ Also, try to throw in some fun facts like:
- The color of red wine is due to the grape skins being fermented with the grapes. However, with Chardonnay, the outer layer of grapes is removed before fermentation.
- The wine was not invented in France. The oldest wine-making process was in Iran.
- The Vatican City beats Italy and France in the highest intake of wine per unit of the global population.
7. Learn the Correct Pronunciation
Are you fond of talking about wines? If yes, it is essential to know the correct pronunciation of wine varietals. Various wines and grape varieties have difficult names. Remember, don’t fumble! In a bar, you can just point to wine in the list and simply ask for its correct pronunciation. Asking for help is better than faking your way. However, in some situations, you can act like an expert if you know the correct pronunciation of a few wine varietals.
8. Aphorism – Fake It till You Make It
At last, we advise you to fake it till you discover the wine connoisseur in you. To sound like a wine expert, you can learn some basic wine language. Otherwise, you can opt to fake out with some tips and basic wine knowledge. The choice is all yours. You can know more about wines at Damily Wine. We sell wine gifts for special occasions. We also provide a range of wines with personalized labels. Our grapes are locally sourced in California and totally savored across the United States. So, just grab your glass and CHEERS!
