Wine Tasting 101 - Swirling

So now you've had a good look at what is in your glass.

Next... it's time for you to swirl your glass. Now, people will always have something to say about how you should swirl & what you shouldn't do. In my opinion; just don't spill. Otherwise you'll end up looking like you're pretentious & don't really know what you're doing. We don't want that. So whether you keep the bottom of the glass on the table & move the glass in a circular motion, or if you swirl your glass in the air by the stem with a slight flick of the wrist, it's completely up to you. (Practice makes perfect in this instance, so pour some water in your glass & give it a whirl or 2. Once you've got it, you'll probably find yourself swirling every other drink you have too, purely out of habit.)

But why? Well, by swirling the glass, you agitate the wine, & by doing this, you are getting more oxygen into the wine. Being referred to as 'airing wine' or 'letting the wine breathe' or 'open up.' What essentially happens with each swirl is that the wine begins to 'break down' which is when it gives off its aroma & tends to 'soften.'

(Too much air is not a good thing in the case of wine, as it will oxidise & in essence ruin the wine, leaving you with a very unpleasant flat & bitter liquid. So don't air your wine overnight.)

Happy 'swirling'. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd