How to Taste Wine for Beginners: Sip, Savor, or Spit?

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Sooner or later, we all step into a winery tasting room, feeling both excited and a little nervous. You scan the room, taking in the atmosphere—the wooden barrels, the polished counters, and other guests swirling their glasses like seasoned pros. I remember my first time, feeling a bit out of place as I made my way to the bar. Leaning my elbows on the counter, someone handed me a glass and a tasting sheet filled with words I had never seen before. The first pour landed in my glass. I took a sip, and that’s when it hit me—now what? I didn’t know how to spot tasting notes, what that bucket was for, or even how to pick a wine. If you’re wondering how to taste wine for beginners, this guide will help.

Table of Contents

• Sip it or Spit it: How to Taste Wine
• Tasting Details
• How to Sip
• How to Spit
• See the Wine
• Sniff the Wine
• Using Your Tasting Notes
• Like it? Pin it!

Sip it or Spit it: How to Taste Wine
But No Matter What– Enjoy it

Moments later, with glass in hand, I stared at the 1 to 1.5 ounces of the winery’s driest white wine. There was a carafe of water and a tall spit bucket within arm’s reach. The sommelier explained the alcohol content, the specific grapes harvested, and what foods go well with it. But there was one thing I noticed—they rarely tell you how actually to taste the wine.

I knew it was a dry white because it wasn’t my first tasting, but I didn’t always have that confidence. What’s more important than anything, though, is to enjoy yourself. Don’t get too caught up in the technicalities of etiquette. The wine experience should be about enjoyment, not perfection.

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Tasting Details

Wine tasting basics include understanding the difference between aroma, flavor, and finish. Pay attention to the wine’s body and structure. The goal is to enjoy, not to overwhelm yourself. Tastings usually start with dry wines and end with sweet ones, sometimes finishing with a dessert wine. I recently watched a couple on their first winery visit, and I realized how intimidating it can feel for a newcomer. There are a few things that would’ve helped them, and they might help you too, the next time you’re in a tasting room.

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How to Sip

Remember that spit bucket I mentioned earlier? It’s not just decoration. Wine professionals sip and spit regularly because many wineries offer seven to ten different wines to taste, and people often visit more than one winery in a day.

On my first wine tasting trip, I confidently swirled my glass like I’d seen in the movies. I got a little too enthusiastic, and the wine flew out, splashing all over my shirt. I spent the rest of the tasting smelling like a walking vineyard!

A typical glass contains about five ounces of wine. Multiply that by seven tastings, and you’ll quickly consume more than a bottle of wine. And if you’re driving, that’s a problem. So, sipping and spitting help you stay sharp and still enjoy the tasting experience.

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How to Spit

You don’t need to swallow the wine to taste it—your eyes, nose, and tongue do all the work. If you decide to spit, aim carefully. Don’t be the person who dribbles wine down their chin! Most visitors to wineries don’t spit, but if you choose to, know you’re in the minority—less than 1% of winery visitors actually do.

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See the Wine

There are a few things to check before even taking a sip. First, see the wine. Hold the glass up to the light or against a white background. You’re looking for color and intensity. Is it light or dark? With white wines, a Chardonnay is often golden, while a Riesling is paler.

For red wines, is it ruby red or purple? Is it transparent or more opaque? A light, see-through red like Pinot Noir is likely to be a lighter-bodied wine, while an opaque wine like Cabernet Sauvignon is often fuller-bodied. Even before tasting, you’ve already gathered important clues about what you’re about to drink.

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Sniff the Wine

I used to think swirling was only for red wines, but that’s not true. Swirling aerates the wine, allowing you to smell the aromas more fully. Hold your glass by the stem, place it on the counter, and make small circles. Then, take a good sniff. What can you detect?

With white wines, you’ll often notice tropical fruits, peaches, or citrus. Reds might reveal black cherry, currant, or even peppery notes. Don’t be afraid to stick your whole nose into the glass—the fuller the sniff, the better you can detect those aromas.

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Sip the Wine… aka my favorite part of the experience.

Could you take at least three sips of each wine? At this stage, there are five things to note: body, flavor, taste, how it feels, and how it finishes. An analogy I love that helps me understand the wine body is if it’s a light-bodied wine, it is more like skim milk; heavy-bodied wines feel more like whole milk or heavy cream in your mouth.

Is it dry or sweet? Peppery or savory? Does one flavor stand out or is it harmonious? Does the taste linger on your tongue for a while (long finish)? Or does it go away immediately after you sip or spit (short finish)?

Using Your Tasting Notes

At the end of the tasting, use the notes to reflect on what you learned about each wine. What stood out? What did you enjoy or dislike? These notes help you figure out your wine preferences and read the back label of any wine bottle in the future.

It might seem like a lot at first, but before long, you’ll impress your friends and that couple who’s just visiting for the first time. Most importantly, using tasting notes will help you select wines you truly enjoy. And hey, if all else fails, there’s nothing wrong with choosing a bottle because you like the label!

Like it? Pin it!

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