No one can know for sure when wine tasting first developed, but it has been a part of human history for hundreds of years, and the constantly evolving pastime is still as popular as ever. Even Miguel de Cervantes’ famous character Sancho Panza in his novel Don Quixote, which was first published in 1605, thought himself a bit of a wine connoisseur. Claiming to have a ‘great natural instinct in judging wines’, he assured a sceptic that you ‘have only to let me smell one and I can tell positively its country, its kind, its flavour and soundness, the changes it will undergo and everything that appertains to a wine’. If you fancy being able to do the same, then read on for a brief introduction into how to correctly taste a wine and where you could go to learn more.
Tasting wine is done for a number of reasons; to figure out if it has to be aged, to detect any of the wine’s faults, to know a wine’s character. Normally wine tasting consists of four stages: colour, charity, smell and taste.
First, the appearance is considered – the colour, clarity and texture – by swishing the wine around in its glass. Then, you’ll put your nose in the glass to understand the aroma of the wine. The next stage is tasting the wine, but it’s not as straightforward as it may seem. You should take a small sip, let it swirl slowly around your mouth, and try to distinguish the three different stages – Attack, Evolution and Finish. Then comes the final stage. A wine’s finish is how long its flavour and impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is when experts might take notes about a wine’s properties – was it light, medium or full bodied. Did it taste oaky and smokey, or fruity? Most importantly – Did you enjoy the wine? Do you want to take another sip?
You have gotten the wrong impression about wine tasting, but it’s a hobby enjoyed by many. A number of events and classes all across the country that vary from novice to experts and everyone in between. There are even courses available that can last anything from a day or evening to a week stay.
Learning about wine can be an extremely rewarding experience. Not only can you show off to your friends and colleagues, but you will also finally be able to pick suitable wines to match meals and pick wines in shops, safe in the knowledge that you know what you’re talking about. In London alone, there are hundreds of venues hosting wine tasting events, and even several world renowned ‘Academies’ to learn everything you need to know about wine and tasting, taught by Masters of Wine, professional Wine Buyers and top Sommeliers.
Home House greets people from all walks of life, which is part of its appeal. Quite unlike many other private members venues, Home House is a place to enjoy leisure time or the perfect spot for a working day. Home house is London’s most Luxurious and Exclusive Party Venue, offering myriad opportunities to discover new pastimes and exclusive experiences.