Video:The 5 S's of Tasting Wine
with Anthony MiloticThe 5 S's of wine tasting are an easy guide to tasting wine and can be helpful for beginners. Here is more information on the 5 S's of tasting wine: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip and Savor.See Transcript
Transcript:The 5 S's of Tasting Wine
Hi, my name is Anthony Milotic and I'm here for About.com. Today I'm going to show and discuss the 5 S's of wine tasting.Understanding your wine through the 5 S's is a great way to develop a deeper appreciation for your wine, allowing you to enjoy the complete tasting experience.
5 S's of Tasting Wine: See
The first S in wine tasting is to See the wine. Pour the wine into a glass and hold it up to the light. Study the color, as you are looking for clarity and brilliance. As white wine ages, the coloring changes and will become almost a golden yellow or straw color. For red wine, the color can be a deep red or a burgundy.5 S's of Tasting Wine: Swirl
Next, swirl the wine by holding the stem of the wine glass lightly. This will allow the wine to breathe and will release the aroma, bouquet and fragrance.As you are swirling the wine, look at how it falls and hits the side of the glass. This is called the legs of the wine and lets you know how full bodied the wine is. The longer it stays to the side of the glass the more body the wine has.
5 S's of Tasting Wine: Sniff
Now raise the glass to your nose and sniff the wine. What you smell will depend on the type of wine you have chosen. All aromas will depend on the individual and are open to interpretation. They may be fruity, woody, earthy or even floral.5 S's of Tasting Wine: Sip
It is now time to sip the wine. Swirl the wine in your mouth taking in the flavour. What did you taste? Was the wine sweet? Dry? Or spicy? The taste should be similar to what your sense of smell detected earlier when you smelled the wine.5 S's of Tasting Wine: Savor
Lastly, Savor the wine and hold it in your mouth. Once the wine is out of your mouth, by either swallowing or spitting, let the flavor deepen on your palate for about 60 seconds. Some wines will fall out quickly and some wines will have new flavors develop and linger in your mouth.So, to review the 5 S's of wine tasting, firstly see the wine, then swirl it in your glass, next sniff the wine for the aromas, then sip the wine taking in the flavor, and lastly savor the wine in your mouth.
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