Wine Tasting Tips
How to Taste Wine
See — Observe the color and clarity of the wine. Color can be affected by age, varietal and barrel process.
Swirl — Lightly twirl the stem of the glass, keeping the bottom of the glass on the table if you are worried about spilling. This allows some oxygen into the wine that will help its aromas open up.
Sniff — Hold the glass a few inches from your nose, then let your nose drop into the glass. Older wines often have nuanced, subtle aromas that are difficult to identify. Don’t worry if you can’t always recognize an aroma.
Sip — Take a sip and let it linger in your mouth. Roll the wine around in your mouth, exposing it to all of your taste buds.
Tasting Terminology
Acidity — The tartness or crispness of a wine that makes your mouth salivate. Wines with no acidity as referred to as flat or flabby.
Balanced — When all components of a wine – alcohol, acidity, sugars and tannin – are working in harmony.
Body — The impression of weight on your palate – light, medium and full are common body qualifiers.
Breathe — The process of letting a wine open up via the introduction of air.
Corked — Corked wine is a term for a wine that has become contaminated with cork taint. Corked wines smell and taste of damp, soggy, wet or rotten cardboard.
Full-bodied — A wine that is high in alcohol and flavors.
Mouthfeel — How the wine feels on your palate – it can be silky, smooth, rough, chewy.
Nose — The aromas and bouquets of a wine.
Reserve — A largely American term indicating a wine of higher quality; it has no legal meaning.
Viticulture Terminology
Biodynamic farming — A method of organic farming emphasizes the use of manures and composts and excludes the use of artificial chemicals on soil and plants. This method includes spiritual and mystical perspectives.
Brix — The scale winemakers use to measure sugar quantity in grape berries or juice. Winemakers use Brix as one way to determine ripeness.
Estate — 100% of the wine from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by the winery, which must be located in a viticultural area. The winery must crush and ferment the grapes and bottle the wine in a continuous process on their premises.
Organic farming — Grapes grown without the aid of chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
Sustainable farming — Farming based on a system that maintains its own viability by using techniques that allow for continual reuse.
Terroir — The combination of soil, climate and all other factors that influence the ultimate character of a wine. Nova Scotia has one of the best soil mixture in the world for perfect wines.
Veraison — The color change of grapes on the vine, the softening of the berries and the sweetening of the flavors, indicating the onset of ripening.
Tannins — Extracted from grape seeds and skins, tannins taste astringent or chalky and add body and structure to wine.
Discover Nova Scotia
Don’t just visit us for our wines
Where to buy our NS Wines
Wine Tasting Tips
How to Taste Wine
See — Observe the color and clarity of the wine. Color can be affected by age, varietal and barrel process.
Swirl — Lightly twirl the stem of the glass, keeping the bottom of the glass on the table if you are worried about spilling. This allows some oxygen into the wine that will help its aromas open up.
Sniff — Hold the glass a few inches from your nose, then let your nose drop into the glass. Older wines often have nuanced, subtle aromas that are difficult to identify. Don’t worry if you can’t always recognize an aroma.
Sip — Take a sip and let it linger in your mouth. Roll the wine around in your mouth, exposing it to all of your taste buds.
Tasting Terminology
Acidity — The tartness or crispness of a wine that makes your mouth salivate. Wines with no acidity as referred to as flat or flabby.
Balanced — When all components of a wine – alcohol, acidity, sugars and tannin – are working in harmony.
Body — The impression of weight on your palate – light, medium and full are common body qualifiers.
Breathe — The process of letting a wine open up via the introduction of air.
Corked — Corked wine is a term for a wine that has become contaminated with cork taint. Corked wines smell and taste of damp, soggy, wet or rotten cardboard.
Full-bodied — A wine that is high in alcohol and flavors.
Mouthfeel — How the wine feels on your palate – it can be silky, smooth, rough, chewy.
Nose — The aromas and bouquets of a wine.
Reserve — A largely American term indicating a wine of higher quality; it has no legal meaning.
Viticulture Terminology
Biodynamic farming — A method of organic farming emphasizes the use of manures and composts and excludes the use of artificial chemicals on soil and plants. This method includes spiritual and mystical perspectives.
Brix — The scale winemakers use to measure sugar quantity in grape berries or juice. Winemakers use Brix as one way to determine ripeness.
Estate — 100% of the wine from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by the winery, which must be located in a viticultural area. The winery must crush and ferment the grapes and bottle the wine in a continuous process on their premises.
Organic farming — Grapes grown without the aid of chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
Sustainable farming — Farming based on a system that maintains its own viability by using techniques that allow for continual reuse.
Terroir — The combination of soil, climate and all other factors that influence the ultimate character of a wine. Nova Scotia has one of the best soil mixture in the world for perfect wines.
Veraison — The color change of grapes on the vine, the softening of the berries and the sweetening of the flavors, indicating the onset of ripening.
Tannins — Extracted from grape seeds and skins, tannins taste astringent or chalky and add body and structure to wine.
Discover Nova Scotia
Don’t just visit us for our wines