What are the 5 rules of drinking wine and why they are important

Wine is one of the most common alcohols that people like to have socially. It is a drink that unites people in a gathering. Though it is considered alcoholic but looking at it widely, wine has several health benefits as well. India’s wine drinking culture can be understood with the way India’s wine market is growing, which has grown at the rate of 20-25 per cent CAGR in 2021 as per a report. Now, as people are opting to consider wine as a social drink, most of them still doesn’t know how to taste or drink it. Some amateurs might just gulp it down the throat like whisky while others would just take 2-3 big sips and finish it all. Wine drinking is also an art and when you take a sip of it at a get-together, you must know its 5 rules which are Sight, Swirl, Sniff/Smell, Sip and Savour. If you are also one of those types who wish to master this art, read below to find out all about it. (Images: Canva)

The basic rule of drinking wine is Sight and is the first step before you actually taste wine. The colour of the wine comes from contact with the grape’s skin after the grapes have been juiced. The longer the wine is in contact with the skins the darker and deeper the colour of the wine. The skins of the grape contain many characteristics that enhance the flavour of the wine similar to the zest of a lemon or lime. They also contact histamines which often cause headaches in people that have allergies. While red wine has more histamines because the skins have more contact with the grape, white wines will be more yellow or straw-like the more contact with the skin of the grape. Also, red wines that have little contact with the skin of the grape are called Rose and will be pinker in colour. They should show a tart or fresh-tasting because it is light. Then, there are sweet wines, which are called blush wines and receive their colour using two different methods.

To test this, you can start by tilting your glass and holding the wine in the light. The deeper and darker the colour of the wine, it means that the wine has had much time in contact with the skins of the grape and that it was aged in oak barrels. This makes the wine bold and rich, and the oak barrels help to mellow the wine.

Once you are done with the sight, the second rule is to Swirl. But, ever wondered why it is done? Now, there are two reasons why it is done. The first reason is that it allows some small parts to evaporate and some of the volatile compounds will dissipate like sulfides and sulfites. Secondly, it will allow the wine to breathe. It is for this reason that wine is never poured till the glass is full. When you swirl the wine, the oxygen actually attaches itself to the tannins and helps to round them out. The oxygen will help to open up the wine while it activates and concentrates the aromas of the wine.

The savouring comes in during that moment you paused and swished the wine around your mouth. Your taste buds will note the presence of fruit, acidity, and alcohol. The tannins will make your cheeks feel like a puckering sensation. Sweet wines are detected from the tip of your tongue. By now, you will be knowing the right palate of the wine. Enjoy!

Now, is the final moment when you take the first sip of your wine. Gently, take a small sip into your mouth and hold it in the centre. Draw your lips like you were going to whistle and draw a little air across your tongue, pause for a moment, and swish the wine around your mouth before you swallow the wine. This would give you a fair idea of the wine’s actual taste. Also, make sure that the wine glass you are holding has a thin lip, as it allows the wine to roll from the glass pleasantly into your mouth without distraction from the glass.

Those who don’t know about wine drinking may think of you as a fool when you smell it. However, the smell of a wine is like a preview of what you are going to taste. You can think of it as just like when you smell the food you get the aromas of all the spices used in it. Likewise, take a good sniff of the swirled wine and your brain will hit its notes, which can vary from fruity to earthy, citrusy and even floral.