Decoding the 5 S’s in Wine Tasting

The alphabet 'S' holds a lot of importance in the world of wine. It reminds us of words like Sauvignon, Shiraz, sommelier, sophistication, Sangiovese, among many other wine things. However, in this blog, we will be talking about those 5 S's that will ensure you the best wine tasting experience in Napa.

SEE

You can judge a lot by the colour and clarity of the wine. A wine's look is better considered against a transparent, white background. Check whether its brilliant, cloudy or simply plain clear. Colour also indicates the ageing process of wine. For instance, a darker shade of wine refers to an oak-aged process. Remember that saturation goes hand in hand with the intensity of flavour. The darker the hue, the richer is the taste of a wine.  

 

SWIRL

You must have seen many wine connoisseurs swirling their wine glass before sipping it from their glass. And, no, it is not a modern etiquette just for show. Swirling has a scientific role in enhancing the tasting session of a wine. Swirling incorporates oxygen into the wine and airs it. Sweeter wines tend to dense and have a heavy body. On swirling them, they tend to leave thick, viscous streaks (legs or tears) at the end of the glass. 

 

SNIFF 

Smelling is one of the crucial sensational experiences of wine tasting. To have a holistic best wine tasting experience in napa, you need to sniff your wine. The bouquet of a wine can tell a lot about a wine's quality. It would be interesting to know the aroma of a wine can also reveal many flaws of the wine, including its cork taint, ageing due to oxidation, exposure time, yeast contamination, and absence of preservatives. Look for definite tones and accents- tangy, fruity, spicy, and other defined notes. 

 

SIP

Do not take small sips. Go for a larger than usual sip and keep the wine for at least 3-5 seconds to fully understand its taste. Keeping it in your mouth for a few seconds releases all the aromatics through your body heat and reaches your olfactory sites.
 

SAVOUR

The last step of wine tasting is to swallow it. If you take your time to follow these steps, you will discover that the wine's actual taste is a lot different from what it seemed when it was on your palate. The length of the time, the taste of the time sticks with you before alcohol hits you is termed as the finish. 

Now that you are familiar with the 5 S's go for that wine tasting without feeling like a newb or throw a wine party and flaunt your skills among your friends.