4 thoughts on “Wine tasting etiquette: what’s proper”
This article was interesting to me in a few ways. First being that I am surprised that it is not considered rude to spit out wine. I did not necessarily think that people would think it was awful, but certainly did not realize how normal it really is. I also am very shocked that you are supposed to hold your wine by the stem and not the bowl because of temperature change. I have a lot of stemless wine glasses, so I guess I will have to invest in some stemmed ones.
My favorite part of this article is the Don’t be a wine snob. Getting to know different wines and taking classes or tastings are always scary. It is important to make people feel safe to ask questions and not know things. Everyone has to start somewhere.
I agree with Rachel, because prior to this class and prior to reading this article, I considered spitting to be culturally inappropriate and the furthest thing from etiquette. However, I watched a video of a sommelier that won “best sommelier in 2021”. I saw that he was able to identify four different wines without any preconceived context, and he too spit out the wines. I suppose we are confused by this because “tasting” usually means swallowing the wine as well. As far as holding the glass by the stem, I agree that it could change the temperature which is why I stay away from stemless wine glasses.
It is very interesting to me how so many different situations come with their own distinct and oftentimes strict rules of engagement and etiquette, including wine tasting events and fine dining. When I tasted wines at a vineyard in Asheville, I decided to read up on these rules in advance. I found myself overly conscious of my behavior and mannerisms, however, and this detracted slightly from my overall experience. I can understand the importance and cultural/historical significance of these rules, but I also think that there should be a general attitude of understanding towards those who may not have been raised in a wine-centric family and are not as aware of the etiquette.
This article was interesting to me in a few ways. First being that I am surprised that it is not considered rude to spit out wine. I did not necessarily think that people would think it was awful, but certainly did not realize how normal it really is. I also am very shocked that you are supposed to hold your wine by the stem and not the bowl because of temperature change. I have a lot of stemless wine glasses, so I guess I will have to invest in some stemmed ones.
My favorite part of this article is the Don’t be a wine snob. Getting to know different wines and taking classes or tastings are always scary. It is important to make people feel safe to ask questions and not know things. Everyone has to start somewhere.
I agree with Rachel, because prior to this class and prior to reading this article, I considered spitting to be culturally inappropriate and the furthest thing from etiquette. However, I watched a video of a sommelier that won “best sommelier in 2021”. I saw that he was able to identify four different wines without any preconceived context, and he too spit out the wines. I suppose we are confused by this because “tasting” usually means swallowing the wine as well. As far as holding the glass by the stem, I agree that it could change the temperature which is why I stay away from stemless wine glasses.
It is very interesting to me how so many different situations come with their own distinct and oftentimes strict rules of engagement and etiquette, including wine tasting events and fine dining. When I tasted wines at a vineyard in Asheville, I decided to read up on these rules in advance. I found myself overly conscious of my behavior and mannerisms, however, and this detracted slightly from my overall experience. I can understand the importance and cultural/historical significance of these rules, but I also think that there should be a general attitude of understanding towards those who may not have been raised in a wine-centric family and are not as aware of the etiquette.