How to Develop a Palate For Wine

Wine connoisseurship is a strange world unto itself, with its own language and culture, and it can often seem prohibitive. Especially for those of us who don’t have a lot of experience drinking wine, it can be hard to know where to begin, and it’s quite frustrating to taste a glass of wine without experiencing any of the rich and complex sensations that advanced wine connoisseurs seem to pick up on. Sometimes it even seems like their whole language is just made up so that they can sound sophisticated. For example, is there really such thing as an “oaky finish” or “mineral undertones,” or are they just made up?

I’m here to tell you that wine’s complexity of flavor is real. It just that it takes some time to develop an appreciation for it. There’s a reason why wine is often treated as an art form-it’s because winemaking is an advanced craft in which the best practitioners combine skill and subtlety to make utterly unique creations.

And much like any other art form, you have to develop an understanding of wine before you can truly appreciate its subtleties. Fortunately, this is not as difficult as one might think. Here’s how to develop a strong wine palate:

1. Learn how to sip properly: Of course, no one needs to be taught how to sip. But after a lifetime of gulping things down for the most part, it can be hard to slow ourselves down and really experience the flavor of a beverage. It’s not as if you have to swirl the wine around your mouth the way wine critics do. Just take the time to enjoy each sip. Anyway, if you plan to become a wine connoisseur, drinking slowly will be essential so that you don’t get too tipsy in your wine-tasting sessions.

2. Learn to recognize a few types of wine: Maybe there are some types of wine that are already your favorites, for whatever reason. Whatever the case, choose about four different types of wine (perhaps two red and two white) to specialize in at first, and then drink no other types of wine until you know these four well. You should be able to recognize them in blind taste tests.

3. Start branching out: As soon as you are very familiar with the flavors of three or four different kinds of wines, start gradually introducing other types of wine to your palate. Don’t rush it. Get to know each new type of wine until you can distinguish it from others based on flavor alone.

4. Try finer wines: Most of us can’t afford to get a fine wine every week. But you might want to occasionally invest in one of the very well-reviewed bottles in the $50-$100 range. Drink the fine wine extra carefully, and try to get to the bottom of what makes it so great. If you just can’t figure out why it’s so well-reviewed, don’t worry about it. Wine reviewers are not always right.

Caterina Christakos is a published author and internet entrepreneur. Read about her latest findings on starting your own internet business and owning a franchise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caterina_Christakos

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