The Ritual

I recently read a book where the author concluded that the ‘ritual’ of assessing wine in a restaurant setting, or any setting really, was total BS. She posited that following the process was born out of ego rather than necessity. (She also went on to argue for a wine-free lifestyle, so no wonder.)

Not only is the ritual of assessment fun and an official kickoff to the meal, it’s completely necessary. The whole point of the ritual is to ensure that the wine is not faulty.

Here’s the HOW and the WHY when it comes to assessing wine for faults, whether you are in a restaurant or at home.

Step 1 - Presentation of the bottle
The server or sommelier should present the bottle with the label pointed directly toward you. In addition to amping up your anticipation, this demonstrates that you’re receiving the brand and vintage you actually ordered.

Step 2 - Presentation of the cork
Once open, notice the condition of the cork, which should also be presented to you. The cork shouldn’t be overly dry or crumbly. Any degree of color-soak shows that the bottle was stored on its side, which is the proper method. The server may smell the cork and/or give it to you to smell. At this point, you are only looking for ‘off’ notes such as wet cardboard or other unpleasant aromas as outlined in Step 4.

Step 3 - Assessment of color
The server will pour approximately one ounce of wine into your glass. Gently tilt the glass (by the stem, if possible, to avoid fingerprints on the bowl) and note whether the wine is ‘clear’, meaning that it isn’t cloudy and doesn’t contain floating particles. Natural wines may show a bit of haze due to gentler filtering, and some reds may have a bit of sediment, but neither is necessarily an issue unless something is obviously wrong.

Also notice if the color seems abnormally faded. Finding a wine that has lost its color will be rare in a commercial setting, but if the bottle is well past its peak, color loss can occur. Rosé and red wines fade to a dullish brown or gray color, and white wines tend towards brown.

If everything’s ship shape so far, place the glass back onto the table.

Step 4 - Smell for faults
With the bottom of the glass on the tabletop, give the wine two or three gentle but firm swirls to start releasing the aromatics. Lift the glass to your nose and inhale, and check for unpleasant notes such as:
- Wet cardboard - the wine may be corked
- Heavy barnyard smells - the wine may have too much ‘brett’, or spoiled yeast
- Oxidation - the wine has had too much exposure to oxygen (can come from a faulty cork)
- Nail polish/acetone - the acid levels may be extremely high
- Garlic or rotten eggs - these are ‘reductive’ smells, meaning that the wine has not had enough oxygen exposure. This is a serious flaw.

If you find any of these aromas, don’t hesitate to speak up. In some situations, the odor may ‘blow off’ as the wine is exposed to more air, or it may even be a deliberate part of the winemaking process and will eventually integrate. But trust your instinct. If your nose is telling you that something’s wrong, then it probably is.

Step 5 - Taste for faults
At this point, you are still not assessing the wine to see if you ‘like’ it. Remember that the entire ritual is just to ensure that the wine is not faulty.

Since the bottle has been freshly opened, it should continue to evolve as it’s exposed to more oxygen. But even at this early stage you’ll want to look for promises of fruit, floral, and oak (unless the wine is unoaked). If you feel those notes are present, even if they are not yet in the capacity which you had hoped, you can approve the wine to be poured for the table.

Your tasting experience has begun! Happy drinking.