Rules for wine tasting in the cellar
A winery visit has its own unwritten rules: after all, if a winery employee, or perhaps the winemaker himself, honors us with his time and knowledge, then this respect should be returned.
Visiting a winery is a special experience, giving you the magic of looking behind the scenes. After all, who could paint a more authentic picture of a wine region's varieties, and our favorite wines that we already know from wine shops, than those who are behind it all - the makers themselves.
Wine tasting and cellar tours can be serious, professional events, but they are typically more of a popular form of recreation that shouldn't be about rules. Below we list the rules and points of alignment that we can consider to make the experience more pleasant for those who come with us and - primarily - for ourselves.
To spit or not to spit?
No, you don't have to spit out every wine offered, the answer to this question depends on the situation. If we are lucky enough to be guests at the Opus One estate in Oakville, California, and we are served different vintages of the winery's first and second wines one after the other, then - unless we are the unlucky designated driver - it is truly a sin to waste even a drop of the wines that are poured.
However, if during the cellar tour you encounter different barrel samples and cuvée experiments, and the range of wines presented noticeably leans towards the winery's top wine, then it is worth welcoming the crowning wine of the event with a clear head and preparedness. We don't have to worry about missing out on something, there is always the opportunity to re-tast.
The most common objections to spitting are “I don’t know how to do it,” “it’s so disgusting,” and “it’s embarrassing, no one does it.” The truth is that pouring and spitting out the wine you’ve tasted is not only not rude, but it’s actually expected behavior. And a discreet spit is no more embarrassing than when, after having ordered the wines on offer, half an hour after the visit, we are unable to pronounce the names of some more complicated grape varieties, or when we say out loud after the tenth wine, “because they all taste the same…”.
Perfume and cologne, or an attack on scents
Wearing perfume at a wine tasting is perhaps the biggest mistake we can make. But why not continue to wear our favorite scent if it makes us feel good, suits us, and is part of our dream look for the wine tasting event? If after a while it becomes apparent that every wine exudes mint and basil, followed by the unmistakable aroma of cinnamon and cloves, then it is certainly not the smell of wine that is unfolding for us, we are only smelling our neighbor's generously applied perfume... The smell of a serious wine carries a lot of important information and experience. Let it prevail.
Cup holding methods and spinning
How should, how can, or how is it worth holding a wine glass for the right experience? The very first step is of course the right glass, but good wineries take care of choosing and providing this. Once you have the right glass, all you have to do is learn how to hold it correctly. The glass of a wine glass is forbidden territory. Never grab it, never hold it in your palm with the loose hand position you see in movies, with the stem hanging down between your fingers! If we do this, the heat radiating from our palms will drastically increase the temperature of the wine, not to mention the mass of fingerprints covering the glass and spoiling the optical experience.
It's a good idea to hold the wine glass by the stem, or more rarely by the base. This way, our fingers don't get in the way of admiring the color of the wine, it's easier to swirl the drink, and we don't give it an unwanted thermal shock.
Of course, it is possible that the temperature of the wine is lower than it should be because the bottle has just arrived from the cellar or wine cooler. In such cases, be patient and swirl the wine in your glass. Swirl enriches the wine with oxygen, thereby releasing and developing its flavors and aromas. If you wait a few minutes patiently and swirl the wine in your hand once or twice, the difference between successive sips will be heaven and earth.
Let's ask, let's ask, let's ask!
We finally have the opportunity to learn about the production method, secrets, and people behind the wines. It's a huge opportunity, so take advantage of it. Believe me, the winemaker is happy to welcome our interest, and there are no bad questions. (But of course, let's not confuse what Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc are...) We can learn more from a single answer from the winemaker than from dozens of wines tasted in silence. The makers are happy to tell us about their wines and the stories behind them. Who knows when we will have the opportunity to talk to them again, but we can guarantee that in the future we will always remember the many stories told by the taster and the winemaker the next time we pour our favorite wine.
