What To Expect, and To Avoid, at Wine Tastings

Wine tasting events come in many forms and can be the best way to expose yourself to new wines and to meet fellow wine lovers. Depending on the type of tasting, there are a few common points of etiquette I recommend following.First off, read the room. There are four main types of wine tastings: consumer, classroom, collector, and industry. The intended audience can make a difference regarding what to expect.Consumer tastings can be quite large and there is usually an entry fee. Knowledge levels run the gamut, from the “my girlfriend dragged me to this” guy to engaged explorers to the cognoscenti. You never know who you are going to meet and what information you might pick up. Usually, though, the organizers are trying to sell you something. Classroom tastings are more formal, smaller in scope, and attract the same wide range of guests. Wines are chosen to teach something specific and most can cost you, though prices vary significantly. Sometimes the wine being shown is for sale; when not, the tastings are really geared toward engagement.Collector events: All I can say is, watch out. These are for people who border on obsession. Those who attend the events often know more about their particular style, producer, or region than industry folks. The events can be small formal dinners, intense classes, focused tastings, or big banquets. The cost is usually high and often you bring a bottle of your own to share. Whatever the focus, you will learn a lot, taste a lot, and spend a lot — and you might find yourself with a new infatuation.Industry events are meant to include only those involved in the profession, such as beverage directors, bar managers, retail sales associates, suppliers, marketing teams, PR firms, event planners, writers, journalists, or wine makers. They are almost always free of charge and can take any of the forms mentioned above. If you have the chance to attend one, take it.Whether you’ve spent your hard-earned money or you were invited by a professional, the second set of suggestions comes under the heading: “Mind your fellow guests.” This refers specifically to the way you smell and spit. While you are out in public, smelling good and refraining from spitting are expected. At tasting events, the opposite is true. Tasting wine starts with smelling wine, so make sure you don’t compete for anyone’s olfactory senses. Heading to an event straight from the gym will garner some dirty looks, but so will having used heavily scented soaps, hair products, laundry detergent, or deodorant. Cologne, perfume, and body sprays are absolute no-nos, and it should go without saying but if you smoke, wash your hands and face afterward. A neutralizing mouthwash is a good thing to have on you even if you aren’t on your way to a wine event.Spitting in public is illegal in New York and many cities, but it is expected at a wine tasting. There should always be buckets for spitting, and in the age of Covid there are often personal cups or spittoons for more discreet use.I know, it may seem icky if you aren’t used to it, but the alternative is public drunkenness, and I’m here to state that’s not pretty on anyone. You may think you’ve got a strong constitution or that such small sips won’t have much of an effect on you, but a half-ounce sip each of 10 wines is a full glass of wine; 20 or 30 wines puts you at 3 glasses. Tasting in quick succession can get you buzzed faster. Even if you spit expect to get a little tipsy, as we often swallow a small amount anyway and some alcohol is absorbed through the soft tissue in your mouth. Don’t be the friend who gets asked to leave a wine event.Finally, assume everyone else knows more than you do. This one may sound a bit harsh, but no one likes a know-it-all. It is one thing for people to express enthusiasm for a particular wine or ask questions about it. It’s another to offer unsolicited critiques or advice to a winemaker or the poor volunteer pouring your wine behind a table. Your fellow guests are there to taste, listen, and learn from the people who craft their favorite wines. You never know what you might garner.

What To Expect, and To Avoid, at Wine Tastings

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