How do You Taste Wine at a Restaurant
Unless you are a sommelier or a booze wizard, tasting wine at a dining establishment or a bar can be intimidating. Do you smell it first? Should you swirl? Will the waiter make a scene in case you send it back?
There are a lot of ways you can deal with this such as attending classes in Paris. Also, some restaurants usually organize events to educate its customers and you can attend. The event equips you with a lot of information that you didn't know. Here are the steps involved in the process.
Presentation Ritual
When you have gone through the list of drinks available in the restaurant and picked the perfect one, the presentation ritual starts. The one that you choose should pair well with your favorite meal, improving the sweetness of ingredients and making your food more delicious. Wines will ensure that you fully enjoy your meals.
Arrival of the Bottle
The waiter will show you the label, but many forget to look at it keenly. If served correctly, he should ensure that it is facing you during presentation and opening. The waiter will then uncork it, and the cork is placed in front of you to inspect. If you think it is not in perfect condition, you may smell it, but some people feel you don't gain a lot by doing it.
Just like meals, wines can be identified predominantly by the senses of sight and smell. How smell and sight affect the taste for foods have been explained. The sense of smell has an effect on how the brain process flavor.
If your vin smells jammy, it means it has been ruined by heat. In this case, your drink will have a smell similar to a wine reduction sauce, mixed with a brown, roasted sugar-type aroma. Heat damage usually affects the seal.
First Sip
The waiter will pour a little of it for you to try before accepting or rejecting. Have you ordered white merlot, and you are wondering what does it taste like? Did you order it, and you don't know if its the one? That should not intimidate you. Here are the steps followed to try a drink that you have ordered:
- Swirl the glass several times to aerate it and release the aromas.
- Take and bring it to your nose and concentrate on the fragrance. Since the perception of different aromas fatigues quickly, you might have to repeat it several times.
- Take a sip and roll it around the mouth and focus on anything that might seem unpleasant or unexpected. Taste for stewed, roasted or jammy reds with raisin or prune flavors. If it has these flavors, it is a sign of a maderization process. If it tastes like a moldy basement, wet newspaper or smelly dog, it means it has a cork taint.
- If what you asked for is correct, nod your final approval. But if you don't like your beverage, don't feel shy about telling the waiter that it doesn't meet the mentioned standards.
Final Golden Rule
This routine's solemnity can be off-putting, but remember that wine is the most expensive item when you eat at a fancy restaurant - so it's crucial to give it enough attention and time to ensure that you are drinking what you will pay for. A cork-tainted wine can ruin dinner and the evening.
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