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How to get the best out of any wine tasting experience where you can taste thousands (if not hundreds!) of wines.
Going on a wine tasting is one of the most interesting activities you can do as a wine enthusiast.
However, if you're unfamiliar with these activities, they can feel exhausting and even threatening.
Our team offers tips for attending and enjoying a wine tasting based on personal knowledge and interviews with other wine professionals.
1. Put on appropriate attire for the occasion
Dress in dark colors to prevent spills, avoid hanging sleeves to avoid spills, and think about the venue to determine the proper dress code.
For convenience, women should try wearing flats or low heels. Pull your hair back so you can spit quickly or leave one hand free to hold it back if you have long hair. Bring a backpack or have deep pockets whether you're going to bring something (tasting book, notebook, mobile, or tablet).
2. Avoid wearing perfume.
Smell is an important component of tasting. When the air is filled with perfume, cologne, or smoke, it's difficult to appreciate all the aromas of a delicate Riesling or a layered Cabernet Sauvignon, so be careful not to add any unwelcome aromatics to the tasting area—only it's good tasting-room etiquette. You don't want to overlook the subtleties of the wines you're trying to appreciate. And you don't want to be the one who has to answer the question, "What's that strong smell?"
3. Consume any food
On an empty stomach, sampling wines (and probably drinking some) is a prescription for easily becoming inebriated and unable to enjoy the remainder of the case. Try to prepare beforehand, and if the tasting serves snacks, take a break to eat there as well.
Staying hydrated is made easier by drinking water in between wines.
4. Take notes
Even if you're spitting consistently, a few hundred wines and a day later, you'll be unable to recall if you favoured the Chianti Classico or the Brunello at the booth next to it. If you're using the tasting as a scouting trip for bottles you want to purchase, bring something to write with or use the camera on your phone to record the wines you enjoyed.
5. Have a good time
When it comes to wine drinking, some people take themselves very seriously, but note that it is still appropriate to smile and have a nice time.
You're not attending a tax conference, and you won't be quizzed at the exit window.
Following these wine etiquette tips can ensure a smooth visit to the Australia Wine Region and, even better, enable you to concentrate on creating memories rather than stressing the specifics.
That's awesome stuff!