Tips To Smoothing An Eclectic Wine Palate

By Author: Stella Carter
Total Articles: 61
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There's drinking wine, and then there's truly tasting it, letting the full flavor meander down your palate as your mouth absorbs the intricate harmonies the wine has to offer. Experiencing the full flavor of your wine requires more than just an open glass, but an open palate and attention to the details of the flavor. Truly appreciating the wine is a rewarding experience. Once you know the subtleties of what you're drinking, you'll be signing up for a Wine of the Month Club in no time and really expanding your level of appreciation.

The wine experience begins at first sight. Take a look at your wine, in daylight if possible. This is true even is you order from a wine club. Pour a glass and hold it up to the light. Sunlight is ideal, and you may want to try holding the wine against a white background such as a table cloth to really see the subtle distinctions. Colors vary according to the type of wine, especially red wines. As wine ages, it starts to bear a deeper tinge of reddish brown around the edges. That's the tannins that give the wine its own unique flavor.

The next important sense in experiencing wine is ...
... your sense of smell. Breathe in the aroma while swirling the wine around the bowl of the glass. This helps to oxidize the wine to bring out its ideal flavor. The aroma can vary depending on how deeply into the glass you inhale, with more floral and fruity flavors found near the lip of the glass, and deeper, somber aromas rising from the belly of the glass. Detect the full range of scents. If you are a member of a Wine of the Month club, compare the aromas of a wide variety of wines. You'll discover the differences, and learn to appreciate refined distinctions.

Compare and contrast flavors. Does the wine have a bitter taste, and does it agree with your liking? Some people like a truly bitter wine, others less so. Though you'll learn to develop your taste for wine, especially if you belong to a Wine of the Month club, you'll have your own tastes that are unique to each individual. Find the wines you prefer, but always be willing to diversify your palate. One of the first things you'll realize from joining a wine club is that there are so many possibilities. Indeed, that is the magic of wine.

Jean Pierre Berard is the author of this article about how to develop a palate sensitive enough for any wine club or wine of the month club.