While it can appear pretentious to many, mastering the swirl is not just a way to impress your friends; the action of swirling wine in the glass is key to a tasting experience for several reasons.
Swirling wine in the glass enables aeration – introducing oxygen to “open the wine up,” which helps to round and soften tannins. Most importantly as you swirl, esters are activated and vaporized – bringing out the wine’s aromatics – allowing the taster the opportunity for a deeper experience and enjoyment of the wine.
So the next time you open a bottle – give it a swirl, and experience the wine to its fullest potential.
Begin to master the swirl in 3 easy steps:
- Pour a small amount of wine into a glass (1-2 oz)
- With the glass sitting on a smooth table, grasp the stem at the base with your thumb and forefinger
- Begin to “draw” small circles on the table while holding the stem – and behold the wine swirl
Cheers!