Wine has existed for centuries, and because of the complexities of making wine, the process of wine tasting has become more refined through the years. Today, wine tasting occurs in a variety of different ways. One way might be through wineries and/or vineyards, who typically showcase their wines by offering guests an opportunity to taste each of their wines on site.

You might want to visit several wineries or vineyards in a particular area, in which case, you can take a wine tasting tour. In popular wine countries like Napa Valley, you can check with your hotel to see if they offer guided tours.

No time to travel? Some retail stores and bars also offer wine tasting a couple times a week or month with a selected choice of their wines.

The Date Activity

Want to impress your date with your knowledge of wine tasting? Remember the order of tasting wine. Full-bodied red wines should be tried before the light-bodied ones. With white wines, it is best to work from dry wines to sweet wines. And some bread and crackers between each wine will help neutralize your palette for a new wine.

There are also five basic steps to tasting a wine: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savor.

Just remember, the goal of wine tasting is not to get drunk. Wineries will be happy to let you try their wines a second or third time, but many wine tasters actually spit out the wine so their judgment is not impaired by the alcohol.

On Your Own / With Friends

Wine tasting might not be an activity you do on your own unless you are a sommelier. With friends, this can be a great way to get away for a weekend and try something new. Rather than just hanging out at the local bar, grab some dinner and enjoy a night of great wine and conversation.