Wine Tasting 101: Look, Smell, Swirl, Sip, Legs

Inspired by one of VinePair’s most popular site sections, the Wine 101 podcast takes an educational, easy-to-digest look into the world of wine. This week’s episode is brought to you by E. & J. Gallo, with its unwavering commitment to providing quality wine for all consumers to enjoy.

Welcome to Wine 101, the latest addition to the VinePair podcast programming. In this new series hosted by VinePair tastings director Keith Beavers, we dive into the basics of tasting.

To start out, Beavers breaks down the process into four easy steps: see, swirl, sniff, and sip. He outlines visual strategies to determine age and alcoholic level of wine. Next, he discusses training the brain to recognize and identify aromas by building up a memory bank of smells. He concludes the lesson by tying all of these steps together for the “sip” stage, where observations, smells, and textures are confirmed on the palate.

With these wine tasting guidelines, consumers will be equipped with the sensory tools they need to embark on their wine journey at a personal pace, building confidence and having fun.

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