How to Attend Your First Wine Tasting: Top 10 Wine Tasting Tips

Other posts by MudslideMama

Napa Valley Vineyard in California (Alain_Sylvie)Let’s face it, every couple can use a romantic weekend getaway once in a while. The day-to-day stresses of work and life have a way of adding up. Even in summer. That’s why MudslideDad and I jumped at the chance to spend a long weekend in Napa Valley. Napa Valley is one of the top romantic getaway destinations for adults in the US, no question. But we’d never been, and we have a shocking degree of ignorance when it comes to wine as well. That’s where my father-in-law came in. He’s a true wine expert, and knows all about tertiary flavors and that sort of thing. He sent my husband his very own Top 10 list for wine tasting. We enjoyed this “how to” list for beginners wine tasting so much, that it seems selfish not to share.

Top 10 Wine Tasting Tips

  1. When the pourer says, “nice bouquet,” don’t look for flowers.
  2. Don’t get angry when someone says “that’s a big nose” – they are referring to the aroma of the wine, not you.
  3. An amusing wine refers to a simple, non-complex wine, not a potential client.
  4. The reference to the Crush refers to the process of pressing the grapes to get the juice out, not to an early ’90s horror movie.
  5. A spoiled wine is a wine that’s had too much oxidation, not a similar upbringing to yours.
  6. “Tasting notes” are generally prepared by wine growers, not network executives.
  7. If the pourer suggests that you taste with your tongue, it means you swirl the wine in your mouth, not lick the bottle (or the pourer).
  8. A reference to “robustness” generally refers to the viscosity and weight of the wine. Not your waistline.
  9. A magnum is a bottle size, not a reference to Dirty Harry’s weapon of choice.
  10. When the pourer suggests you may want to spit, you want to do it in the slop bucket, and not at the other tasters.

This top 10 list didn’t exactly help us learn everything we need to know about how to attend wineArtesia Winery in Napa Valley (Jonathan Linczak) tastings at Napa Valley vineyards, but it did reinforce my long-standing theory that senses of humor (and a depressing affection for puns) runs in the family. My father-in-law wrote, “These tips should make your Napa Valley experience more enjoyable.” Thanks, MudslideGrandDad! We made sure not to spit wine at any other tasters.

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July 14, 2008 | Filed Under Culinary Travel, Destinations, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Romantic Getaways, The Cookie Jar 

Comments

8 Responses to “How to Attend Your First Wine Tasting: Top 10 Wine Tasting Tips”

  1. DesertMama says:
    July 14, 2008 at

    Too punny! I mean funny. (My family also has the pun gene.) Thanks, MudslideGrandDad!

  2. CajunMama says:
    July 14, 2008 at

    Love it!

  3. Ali says:
    July 15, 2008 at

    Great tips! We have wanted to go wine tasting (there are TONS of vineyards in Oregon now), but haven’t known where to start, or what to do. Perhaps we can go now!

    Ali

  4. MudslideMama says:
    July 17, 2008 at

    Ali, I hope you can make the time to take a wine tasting trip. Two or three days is really all you need, and it’s so much fun. :)

  5. Jilly says:
    July 17, 2008 at

    But can i spit at the waiter if he is snobby?

  6. MudslideMama says:
    July 17, 2008 at

    Well…it’s not recommended. (wink)

  7. Mary says:
    August 7, 2008 at

    Wow MudslideMama it seems like you don’t really travel too much as a Mother but cruising for booz… even your name trade name deals with alcohol! I thought this was a family travel site?

  8. Quick Wine tasting tips | US Top wines says:
    April 21, 2009 at

    [...] More tips about wine tasting: Wine tasting – Wikipedia How To Taste Wines How to Attend Your First Wine Tasting [...]

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