If you’re passionate about wine and you’ve been experiencing different varieties over the years, then you might want to think about becoming a certified expert. This can be a great idea for fun and for helping people. There are over ten thousand varieties in the world because of the different types of grapes and how they are fermented for producing the finest types. Some people might be scared of honing this skill, but it can be quite easy over time. You just need time, patience, and you need to enjoy drinking a lot of it.
Read on to learn about what it takes to become a wine expert.
What is a Wine Expert?
A wine expert is a professional that knows almost every type of bottle there is in the market. They have a talent for picking out the right one for your enjoyment. Some people have a knack for knowing if a specific type is good or bad by the smell of the drink and its texture. They would know the blend, how it was produced after smelling and tasting it, and figuring out if it is a good or bad bottle. Some people might think that experts are snobs because they impose too much or force people to change their decision, but that’s not the case at all. Proper experts advise people and they give people several good options to try. There might be experts that are too excited or passionate about it that some people take it as imposing. Nevertheless, try as much as you can to be friendly and hospitable to guests if you are thinking of using your talents professionally.
Getting the Temperature and Glass Right
A professional would know how to get the temperature right for each blend. They would know that each type must be served at different temperatures. This can impact the taste and quality of the blend significantly. Also, experts would buy a case every week to hone their skills. They would explain to the guests how they get coolers for their collection to keep every bottle at the right temperature. Depending on your home and the number of bottles you have, you will need to research and work on choosing the size of the cooler that fits your home decor and the number of bottles you plan to get. As an expert, you would explain all of that to the guests to show them that you’ve tested the temperatures on your own stash.
Wine experts understand that white or sparkling should be served under 43–50 °F (6–10 °C), red should be served at 59–64 °F (15–18 °C), and pink should be served at 44–55 °F (7–13 °C). As an expert, you would explain to guests, which glass they should use with each specific type. Some blends would need the standard glass, large flute glass, large hock glass, tulip glass, coupe glass, or even narrow martini glasses. Show guests how to hold every glass properly and demonstrate the swirl technique with your wrists to get the oxygen flowing in the drink. This will greatly improve the taste and experience.
Training Your Palate for the Taste
This part of training your palate for figuring out the different tastes will take time, patience, and a lot of practice. This is why most professionals have numerous bottles at home. You need to expose your palate to different blends to get used to distinguishing each type and how it was fermented and produced. You won’t need to memorize anything because it’s the process of using your sense of taste, smell, and feeling when the liquid spreads across your tongue and the roof of your mouth. This is how you train your palate properly to recognize each flavor and its quality instinctively and confidently. It will allow you to explain to your guests, which bottle is good and which isn’t worth their time. This talent needs a lot of practice to fully master.
Some people become experts in the wine business because they like it, some do it for fun with friends, while others put in all the effort to do it professionally as their job. You will have various opportunities to advise people and guide them to the best wine glasses they’ve ever tasted. You need to remember that you should always be friendly, courteous, and patient with people. Don’t take it personally if someone didn’t listen to your opinions and advice about the right type of drink. All you need to do is make people feel comfortable about their wine, show some hospitality, and recommend the best type for the occasion.
