Welcome to Wine Geekdom
So you’ve decided to invest in your wine education – congratulations! You’re stepping into a fascinating world combining language, culture, geography…and of course, delicious, delicious wines.
Starting on your wine journey can feel intimidating, but having the right tools at hand can make getting started feel more manageable. If you’re looking to do some self-directed study, I’ve broken down my approach for you here. The “method” or process below is what I’ve used consistently throughout my career. It has helped me to make new connections and to trust my own palate – the biggest challenge for anyone looking to get started. Feel free to customize this process to your own preferences and access.
If it looks like a lot, remember to take it just one step at a time. Start wherever your comfort level is, and grow from there!
Ok, so where do I start?
The best first step is to learn more about what you know you already like. It’s something you genuinely enjoy, and it’s likely already somewhat familiar. Practice writing tasting notes and looking up technical information. Even if this doesn’t feel natural or “make sense” right away, it’s all about building the practice! And always write down anything – no really, anything – that you feel or think about the wine.
One of the most important things for new wine aficionados to understand is that, due to marketing and outdated attitudes, many of us feel that there is “correct” verbiage to use. Beyond a few technical exceptions, this is not the case! I’ve heard everything from “built like a ballet dancer” to “bubblegum dropped in gravel” to “brooding and mysterious.” I promise, there’s nothing too out-there, and besides – it’s a tool for you! Write in a way that makes sense to you.
Write down all your thoughts/tasting notes – especially the ones you’re more self-conscious about.
Some ideas:
What do you smell? What do you taste? Is it light like skim milk, or heavy like cream?
Is it easy to drink alone, or does it need food? What do you like to eat with it?
How does it make you feel? What does it remind you of? Remember: this is for you and you only! There are no right or wrong answers.
Next, practice looking for the relevant information that will tell you more about why this wine tastes the way it does.
Google the producer – the entity or person making the wine. If you’re not sure which words on the label refer to the producer, type in the whole name of the wine and determine it from the search results. This can be an individual, a small operation, a co-op, or a large company.
Familiarize yourself with tech sheets. These are immensely helpful industry tools that often list significant information about how the wine is made. They are often found on the producer’s webpage for that particular wine (although not every producer will have them). If you don’t understand everything (or even very much) on the sheet, don’t worry! This is all about getting a first look.
I’ve done this enough times that I want to know more about what I’m tasting! What’s next?
Excellent! Let’s build on this exercise. This will probably look like a lot of information, so feel free to take it at your own speed. There’s a technique in here for everyone!
Building your tasting chops
Do a Google image search for “wine flavor wheels.” These are an incredibly helpful tool for learning to find aromas and flavors. Each of us has unique strengths and blind spots when it comes to tasting, and some people have an easier time than others – that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to pick them out!
Using the flavor wheel, start at the center and move outward. This will get you in the habit of looking for broad categories (e.g. stone fruit, tree fruit, berries…) before narrowing down to specific fruits (peach, pear, blackberry).
This also works for non-fruit aromas and flavors! Categories like “spices,” “herbs,” and “flowers” can all be good starting points before going into specifics such as “nutmeg,” “sage,” or “rose.”
This is where it’s important to remember that everyone is different! Some people have an easy time picking out certain aromas; some people have an easier time creating a mental image. Still others find it easier to describe the condition of the aromas (e.g. overripe, tart, bruised, dried) rather than specific notes (e.g. golden apple, peach, thyme). Try different techniques and see where’s easiest for you to start – it’s all totally valid.
The way a wine smells and tastes is a complete picture made up of parts. Beyond specific aromas and flavors, challenge yourself to pay attention to textural and structural components. Is it noticeably smooth, or more rustic feeling? How acidic is it (how much does it make your mouth water?) How much grip do your red wines have? (This is an aspect of tannin, something we touch on in-depth during the Winemaking class of Wine Fundamentals).
Take a step back and consider: how does the wine make you feel? This one is as subjective as they come. Is it joyful, simple, mellow, bright, big? A seaside gulp or an armchair sip? Is it something that feels best for a big, boisterous group or for a small gathering of intimate friends? These questions flex the more abstract side of your brain, and remind you to zoom out to consider the whole wine.
A note on tasting notes:
Always write your own tasting notes before looking up others’, especially when you’re starting out. The power of suggestion is very real! Take the time to get to know your own palate before cross-referencing, and you’ll see yourself gaining confidence in your own abilities.
A note on apps:
Today’s apps offer access to information the likes of which the industry has never seen. While apps like Vivino, Delectable, and more are fantastic for logging your bottles, keeping notes, and networking with fellow wine-obsessed folks, please use caution when looking for educational resources. These are generally not a good source of objective information. I can’t tell you how many wines I’ve seen listed with the wrong grapes, regions, or descriptions – but feel free to use them as record-keeping and community resources!
When it comes to tasting notes, please rely on your own personal research and tasting experience rather than those of others. Taste is not objective. Even wine professionals disagree (often!) on what they personally enjoy, so simply following strangers’ opinions of what is “worth the money,” “good” (an immensely complicated subject), or tastes a certain way is completely subjective.
Wow, I’ve learned a ton! How do I learn more about different winemaking regions and what all’s out there?
Congratulations on gaining more confidence with wine tasting and analysis! Here are the next steps on your path to ultimate wine geekdom.
Get deeper and use them to learn where your wines are from – country, region, subregion – and see what professional writers are saying about those areas.
Start with one country, rather than tackling the winemaking world all at once. This gives you a smaller focus and a specific place to start. Once you better understand the structure of one country’s winemaking, you have far better context for studying another.
Search for books* or reputable sites** with information about the region.
Some ideas for deeper research: What grapes grow there? What is the climate like? What is the notable geography? What soils can be found here? Who are the historical producers? The renegades? What is the region’s history?
*My personal favorites: Wine for Dummies (despite the name, a fantastic place to start), The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil, The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson, The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson & Julia Harding, Windows on the World by Kevin Zraly, and The Science of Wine by Jamie Goode.
**Reputable sites include: WineFolly.com, JancisRobinson.com, WineSearcher.com
Many regions and appellation consortiums have their own websites as well: loirevalleywine.com, for example, or chianticlassico.com. These are the best resources for up-to-date regional information.
Taste some more! As you explore a region more deeply, try to taste your wines side-by-side. Here are some ideas for your experimentation - and don’t forget to take notes!
Compare the same grape from neighboring regions
Compare the same grape made by different producers/methods/styles
Taste different styles from the same sub-region
Wine is all about enjoyment – so it can be a fun practice to try out different pairings with all the wines you taste. Keep track of what works and what doesn’t, what surprises you, and of course, do a little research once you have your own opinions.
Try out different food components: fat, protein, acid, salt, heat, umami, sweet
Cheese, meat (fresh/cured), fruit, mushrooms, olives, peppery crackers… if you have it, give it a shot!
I hope you find this guide both enlightening and exciting! Feel free to jump in wherever feels comfortable and take it one step at a time. As always, please feel free to reach out by email or this site’s contact form with any questions.
Cheers for now!