Hi, Today we’re talking about what order to taste wine in when you go to your next wine tasting. Stay tuned.

 

Hi, I’m Tim from Elma Wine and Liquor. Today I’m here to talk to you a little bit about what order you should taste wines in when you are at a wine tasting or at a dinner party or any occasion where there might be multiple different wines to drink or to taste.

Wine Tasting In Order

At wine tastings I notice that people tend to start with something that they like when presented with multiple options. Sometimes they will then try a second, third or more wine. The order that they taste those wines may not present the latter in their best light. The residual taste, flavors, sugars, and tannins from the first wine will affect the way that the second or third wine comes across.

If you plan on tasting multiple wines at one event, it is important that you take note of the order. Usually an experienced pourer will lay out the wines in the proper order. Or they will guide you through depending on your preferences. Or if they’re not aware, hopefully you will be after watching this.

What Order Should I Taste Wine?

As a general rule of thumb, drink whites and then reds. The red wines are typically a little bit dryer and more tannic. They will leave residual flavors in your mouth a lot longer than the whites will. Having that heavy, jammy, tannic wine in your mouth and then following it up with something that’s light and refreshing, might make that white wine taste more acidic or it make it taste too sweet. As a general rule of thumb, taste white then red.

There are some caveats to the white before red general rule of thumb. As I’ve said in multiple videos, there are always exceptions to rules in the wine world. Typically, sweeter wines, you would have at the end of a tasting. Sometimes the residual sugars left in those wines will make any drier wine that you have after them taste exceptionally dry. Think about eating a piece of milk chocolate and then a savory, mushroom dish. The sugar in the chocolate is going to completely affect the way that that mushroom dish comes across in your mouth.

Think of Wine Like Food

Speaking of meals, that is also a good way to think about the order to taste wine. Starting with lighter white wines is comparable to starting with appetizers. After appetizers and light white wines you move into a little bit heavier white wine such as  a Chardonnay or even a Rosé with a first course of a salad or fish. The next step is the lighter red wines with a pasta dish or white meat. Heavier reds will follow those with a main course of a red meat. Finally, you complete the tasting or meal with  sweet wines with your dessert. The same way you progressed through a meal, is the same way that you should be thinking about progressing through the wines.

Use the Resources Available

I know you might be thinking, “Well, how do I know which one’s sweet and which one’s dry and which one’s light and which one’s heavy if I’m just showing up at a wine tasting and haven’t had the chance to taste them yet?” Usually, the wine taster at an event knows their stuff and has done this before. They are generally good at laying the things out on the table the way that they should be tasted, or at the very least, as I said, you can ask them if you’re looking at six different wines and you say, “You know what? I just want to try the Reds,” or “I’d like to try this one and this one and this one, which order should I try them in?” They’ll be able to pick it out and tell you what the best order to taste them. Even if they don’t, at least now you have a little bit of a base knowledge to go forward in the future.

I hope this helps you and I hope you enjoy your wine tastings a little bit more in the future. Please let us know what you think of our videos and please let us know what other questions you have or topics you would like covered.

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