Discover how to taste wine like a true sommelier with these simple tips.
You don’t have to travel to wine country to experience an exceptional wine tasting. You can enjoy the delicacies of wine from the comfort of your home, or at your local Basta Pasta! Discover how to taste wine like a true sommelier with these simple tips.
See the Wine
Once your server has poured your glass of vino, hold the glass by the stem and look at the wine. Observe its colors carefully, and take note of the specific shade. A red wine is not simply red, but rather it has the potential to be all shades of purple, brown, salmon, and magenta.
Smell the Bottle
If you uncork the bottle yourself, you have the opportunity to catch the wine’s fragrance straight from the bottle. The smell of the wine changes after it’s poured and aerates, so take the time to experience the wine at every stage.
Look at the Wine
Tilt your glass of wine slightly to the right or left. You may notice that the color changes as it expands in your glass. Wine professionals are able to see how old a wine may be simply by looking at the depth, intensity, and saturation of color as it changes in the glass.
Swirl the Wine
In order to allow oxygen into the wine, gently swirl it around in a circular motion with the glass. Swirling the wine allows for its aromas to open up, allowing you to experience every aspect of the wine’s character.
Smell the Wine
Right before you drink the wine, it’s important to take one long sniff. Allow your nose to dive into your glass, close your eyes, and take in every scent. Fruits, berries, flowers, soil, minerals, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and wooden barrels may all be present in the glass of wine you’re tasting. If you know where the wine is from, consider the specific qualities of that region. Are they present in the wine?
Drink!
During a standard wine tasting, it isn’t uncommon for people to expectorate the wine into a bowl after rolling it around in the mouth. However, if you’re enjoying your wine at home or at a restaurant, go ahead and enjoy it! Discover how each sip reveals something different about the wine as you drink.
ENJOY HAPPY HOUR AT BASTA PASTA
For over 12 years, Basta Pasta has been providing Marylanders with delicious Italian specials cooked from fresh, delicious, high-quality ingredients. Enjoy a taste of classic Italian food with spectacular pasta dishes, unlimited salad and breadsticks, and sumptuous fine Italian wines. To make a reservation at our Timonium, Fallston, Perry Hall, or Eldersburg location, contact us online or give us a call at the location-specific phone number listed here. To find out more about our menu, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Don’t feel like going out? Order our signature crab cakes online and enjoy Basta Pasta at the comfort of your dining room table.