When it comes right down to brass tacks wine is all about the taste. Most people drink wine because they like the taste because it’s supposed to taste good. That’s the whole point right?

Some wine fans simply rely on their local purveyor’s recommendations while others pour over reviews and lament when their favorite bottling runs out. No matter the level of knowledge a wine lover is a wine lover.

Okay, so you love wine but you’re not a wine professional with decades of tasting notes and a seasoned palate. You don’t use 30 adjectives to describe the smell but you still yearn to understand everything you can about wine. Fear not for fancy words never make wine taste any better, they just help us professionals justify our salaries (tongue firmly implanted in cheek). There are very simple ways to gain a deeper appreciation for wine without making it your full-time career.

An in-home tasting is a great way to expand your palate and build a knowledge base handy for future purchases. It’s incredibly easy, fun and you’ll soon make it a regular event.
First, pick a theme such as:
* A single varietal from various regions around the globe
* Various wines from a single region
* Various wines representing dry, sweet, tannic and fruity
* Blind tasting of regional of wines at various price points
* A wine and food pairing

Now let’s establish guidelines to get the most out of the evening. Form a reasonably sized group so everyone has a chance to contribute without talking over a crowd. This also offers the added bonus of preventing an evening with more wine to taste then time in which to do it. Count on 15 samples per bottle for a tasting. This small potion is plenty for evaluation while avoiding over consumption and numbing the palate.

If possible, try to avoid scented candles and plug-in air fresheners that can interfere with the wine. Food is always a great idea but avoid aggressive flavors like raw onions or excessively hot flavors that can kill the palate. Wine and food pairings can get needlessly complex so prepare what your heart desires and talk about the pairings no matter what they are.

Always use wine descriptors for color, smell and flavor that mean something to you even if it’s “Grandma’s attic.” It’s more concrete and easy to remember than those that you don’t understand or taste. Always remember there are no wrong answers — ever.
When it’s applicable, try to taste wines from dry to sweet, white to red and light to heavy. It doesn’t have to be prefect but it will help each wine show better. Try setting an upper and lower limit to the price range or have a collection in which people rotate using the kitty to purchase the wines for the tasting. In any case, the person responsible for the wine should have some information about the wine to share with the group.

Most good wine establishments can help you select wines and may even offer a service to lead in-home tasting. They should be able to recommend food pairing as well. Always remember that wine is fun and tasting should be fun. We taste everything we put in our mouth.

Wine is one of the great creations that compel us to stop to take the time to taste using more than just our tongue. How great is that?

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