There are 4 S’s of Tasting Wine Like a Pro—See, Swirl, Smell, and Sip. Today we will be talking about S number two… SWIRL. This blog is dedicated as to why you should swirl wine. Have you ever wondered why wine geeks swirl their glass like they’re trying to start a tornado in their glass? It’s because they’re unlocking the aromas in the wine. The technical term for swirling is VOLATILIZING THE ESTERS. (Try saying that seven times after you’ve had some wine.) You may smell green apples when you put your nose in your glass of Sauvignon Blanc, but I assure you, no green apples gave up their life to make your wine. It’s made 100% from grapes. If you remember back to chemistry class, all aromas are made up of chemical compounds, called ESTERS. The green apple aroma you’re smelling is simply one of the esters. In fact, this is the chemical compound for the green apple aroma.
It doesn’t matter if you smell it in a Granny Smith apple or a glass Sauvignon Blanc… the ester is the same. When you open a bottle of wine, it has been without oxygen for months, years, or even decades. The act of swirling the wine turns the chemical compounds into vapor, making them easier to smell. To show you how important swirling is, I did an experiment in the video. I poured a bit of Austin Hope Cabernet into a glass, and then I smelled the wine before I swirled it. Without swirling, I got two very generic smells–black fruit and tobacco. And then after swirling it, I got more aromas, as well as more individualized smells. I smelled blackberries and blueberries (rather than just “black fruit”). Plus I also smelled vanilla and a hint of chocolate. Don’t believe me? Go grab a glass of wine and try it at home. Once you try this at home, you will know why to swirl wine…. and hopefully you will never drink a glass of wine without swirling again! Be sure to watch the video. It’s more entertaining than just reading a blog. But be sure to have a glass of wine in your hand when you watch. That way, you will truly understand why to swirl wine.
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