Nose in the glass by Capucine 💐
How to Taste Wine: A Sommelier’s Guide to a Successful Sensory Experience
Learning how to taste wine goes far beyond simply saying “I like it” or “I don’t.” It’s about understanding the essential steps to analyze a wine’s appearance, aromas, and flavors—just like a professional sommelier.
Create the Right Tasting Conditions
Choose a quiet, well-lit space free of distracting odors. Use a clean, transparent wine glass that concentrates aromas. Serving temperature is critical: a white or rosé that’s too cold loses expression, while an overly warm red will feel heavy and alcoholic.
Choosing the Right Wine Glass
The glass you use has a direct impact on your tasting experience. Shape, size, and finesse all influence aroma perception and tasting precision.
That’s why we carefully selected wine glasses from Lehmann Glass, renowned for their craftsmanship and quality. From crisp whites and bold reds to elegant champagnes, their range offers the perfect glass for every wine style.
Lehmann glasses combine elegance, technical precision, and innovation to elevate every tasting moment. Visit our boutique to discover the collection and let us help you find the glass that suits your tasting style—transforming a simple sip into a true sensory journey.
Observing the Wine’s Color: Visual Analysis
Tilt your glass against a white background and observe:
Clarity: Is the wine clear or hazy? This reflects its filtration and preservation.
Color: A young red often shows purple or bright ruby tones, while an older wine shifts toward brick-red hues. Whites evolve from pale straw to deep gold.
Intensity: Grape variety and winemaking choices influence depth of color. Pinot Noir typically appears lighter, while Syrah or Cinsault can display denser tones.
This first step already reveals clues about the grape, age, and style of the wine.
Smelling the Wine: Olfactory Analysis
Nearly 80% of wine perception comes from smell. Approach the glass first without swirling to capture the first nose, then gently swirl to release the second nose, which develops through aeration.
Three families of aromas emerge:
Primary aromas: fruits, flowers, herbs, spices.
Secondary aromas: yeast, butter, dairy notes from fermentation.
Tertiary aromas: leather, truffle, tobacco, forest floor, coffee—developed through aging.
Be cautious: a corked wine (smelling of wet cardboard) or oxidized wine (bruised apple, vinegar) indicates a fault.
Tasting the Wine: Mouthfeel Analysis
Take a small sip and let it roll across your palate. Focus on:
Attack: the first impression—smooth or lively.
Flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami.
Texture: silky, creamy, tannic, astringent.
Balance: harmony between alcohol, acidity, tannins, and sugar.
Length: the longer the finish, the higher the quality.
Retro-olfaction—breathing lightly while holding the wine in your mouth—enhances flavors and adds another sensory dimension.
Building Your Wine Memory
After each tasting, note your impressions: aroma intensity, balance, dominant flavors, and length. Over time, these notes create your wine memory, helping refine your preferences.
At Clos Vivants, we use your tasting emotions to guide you toward wines that truly match your palate—whether you’re seeking the perfect food and wine pairing or preparing for a blind tasting challenge.
Sharing your tasting experiences with other enthusiasts enriches your vocabulary and perspective. After all, wine tasting is personal, but also about curiosity, exchange, and discovery. Our wine tasting workshops in Dijon are the perfect opportunity to learn, connect, and explore together.
Conclusion
Wine tasting is an art that blends rigor, curiosity, and pleasure. Observing color, smelling aromas, and tasting flavors allow you to go beyond simple preferences and embark on a true sensory journey—without leaving Dijon.
Want to take your skills further? Join our wine tasting classes at Clos Vivants : unique, friendly, and educational moments to sharpen your senses and explore the rich world of wine with Adrien Tirelli, Master Sommelier, and the Clos Vivants team.
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