How to Prep for a Wine Tasting

You’re heading to a winery for a tasting! It’s definitely something that would be the highlight of my week. Besides placing that date on your calendar and doing a happy dance, what else should you do before the actual event?

Plan accordingly

First, let’s talk about the responsible part of wine tasting. If you’ll be tasting (and drinking) many wines, you should make a transportation plan. Will you have someone in the group who does more tasting than drinking? If not, you should schedule transportation with an area wine tour or verify that there are ride-hailing options in the area.

Before you head to the winery

If you truly want to taste the wines and not just treat this as a reason to day-drink, you should consider the following items:

• Don’t wear perfume or use scented lotions. These will interfere with your ability to detect aromas in the wines.
• Don’t eat overly spicy or flavorful foods before you go. These flavors may linger and affect the way the wines taste.
• On the other hand, make sure you’ve eaten before you go. Wine tasting on an empty stomach most likely will not go well.
• Brush your teeth as early in the day as possible, so that the flavor of the toothpaste will not be present at your first wine stop.
• Make sure you are fully hydrated. Obviously, that will help with the effects of the alcohol. Also, being hydrated will help you smell and taste more of the characteristics of the wine you are tasting.

With these tips in mind, it may be time to plan a trip to your local winery. Be sure to check back next week for advice on how to plan your trip to a winery.

Also, if you would like to enjoy an educational and fun wine tasting in your own home, be sure to check out my AirBnB wine tasting experience.