Whether you are going to an official event or planning a fun get-together with friends, enjoying quality beverages at a wine tasting OKC is sure to help you find some new favorites to enjoy. When it comes to appreciating a wine’s flavor and intricacies, you may want to learn more about the steps of wine tasting. In particular, you may be interested in learning which step is the most important.
The Four S’s of Wine Tasting OKC
Whether you pick up a few bottles from a store or visit a winery or vineyard experienced with growing grapes in Oklahoma, following the four S’s of wine tasting can help you get the most from the experience. While there are some variations, the four S’s of wine tasting are most often: seeing, swirling, sniffing, and spitting.
See
The tasting experience begins as soon as the Oklahoma grape wine is poured into your glass. By holding your glass up to natural light, you can find some unique details that will provide some hints about the wine’s flavor. Its color and clarity will start to give you some hints about its age, flavor, varietal, and even the climate where the grapes grew.
Swirl
Your senses of sight, scent, and taste are each essential to the wine tasting process. Gently swirling your glass before sampling, or even smelling, the wine will help you get the most from the experience. This will open up the wine’s aromas and flavors by introducing more oxygen, and its appearance afterward can help you determine if the wine is light or heavy.
Sniff
The wine’s scent will impact the way that you taste it. Before sipping the wine, take a moment to take in its bouquet – its total aromatic experience – so you can better know what to expect from its flavor. In addition to providing some hints on its taste, you will be able to determine if issues like cork taint or oxidation due to aging occurred.
Spit
After seeing, swirling, and sniffing the wine, it is time to actually taste it. Take a small sip, then gently roll it around in your mouth for three to five seconds. Exposure to body heat will release more of its aroma and enhance the flavor. You can also better determine the texture, flavor, and structure. At most tasting events, you will then spit out the wine.
The Fifth S of Wine Tasting: Savor
The four S’s of wine tasting are equally important because everything you learn during the process will help you truly appreciate each unique wine. This knowledge will help you get the most from an extra fifth step: savoring. When it comes to enjoying the wine beyond simply tasting it, you may consider “savor” to be the most important step.
Enjoy Oklahoma Grape Wine
If you want to learn more about quality wines or are interested in attending a wine tasting, please browse our website. The Oklahoma Grape Industry Council is here to share our advice and knowledge on everything in our industry, from growing grapes in Oklahoma to planning a wine tasting event.