Wine & service: A matter of taste

Wine tasting tours can offer hospitality operators a real flavour of the wines on the market, says Roger Jones of the Harrow at Little Bedwyn

This autumn sees an influx of winemakers and tastings all over the UK. These events provide a great opportunity to try a range of wines, speak to the
winemakers and compare like with like.

The tastings do not need to be a challenge. Many are run to help the less knowledgeable wine aficionado, offering guided assistance as well as clearly marked wine routes.

The art of spitting: what to expect at a wine tasting

Spitting
Spitting leaves you with the full flavour of the wine but without the alcohol. It's well worth practising this. The point is to coat your mouth with the wine, so it hits all your tastebuds, and then to get rid of the liquid in the nicest practical way. A good tip is to find a small plastic cup and spit into this, rather than trying to hit a spittoon from five feet away.

Timing
Tasting is always best done earlier in the day, before you have confused your taste buds with other flavours. Drinking coffee or savoury foods beforehand is not recommended, but porridge is ideal. Dry biscuits are provided during the tasting to clean your palate. It's best not to break up a tasting with lunch in between, as again this will spoil your palate.

Hygiene
You should not wear perfume, bright lipstick which marks glasses, or white shirts which can stain. One top tip is to carry a disposable toothbrush and toothpaste, especially if you are trying lots of red wine - otherwise you will get odd stares on the journey home directed at your black teeth and lips.

Quantity
Professional tasters quite happily taste some 80 or 90 wines a day, but it's wise to start slowly. Around 20 will provide a good range to reflect on.

Notes
You will be given a booklet with all the wines listed, and plenty of information. Write your notes on these as it will be an easy reminder.

Help
Do ask the winemakers questions, however silly they may seem. Remember, most of them are 'farmers' and are down-to-earth, likeable people. But do have some respect for what they have crafted - if the wine is not to your taste, don't chastise the winemaker.