Top Tips for Wine-Tasting in Italy

It is not just about white vs red. The tasting order for wines in Italy depends more on light body vs heavier body, dry vs sweet.

These distinctions can give you a better understanding of the depth of character each wine has, while also providing more insight into the soils in which the grapes were grown. Wine becomes not only an introduction to a regional delicacy, but also the geography and heritage of any town, city, or countryside vineyard you visit.

When discovering the wines of Italy, the tasting order is the first step to enjoying the diversity for which Italy’s offerings are known.

• Light-body wines are served before heavier or fuller bodies, as the stronger flavors and richer sugars will muddle the delicate characteristics of their lighter-bodied counterparts.
• White wines are served before red wines.
• Dry wines are served before sweet wines, as the sweeter wines will make the drier ones acidic.

Looking at the wine is the first step in wine tasting. It occurs before swirling, smelling, or sipping, allowing you to assess the hues of the wine to gain a better sense of the type you will sip, whether on a wine excursion during a Venice tour or traveling on a Tuscany tour.

You will start to consider the depth of each wine's color beyond red and white, developing an understanding of how wines derive distinct colors from contact with the grape skin, which not only imparts the different hues, but also the various characteristics of the grape into the wine. The following characteristics typically impact the nuances in color of white and red wines:

White Wine

1. A light, but bright yellow or nearly-clear coloration suggests less contact with grape skin and no aging, resulting in a crisp and refreshing character.
2. A deep, full-yellow color suggests the wine was aged in an oak barrel near the end of production and contains a smoother, richer, and fuller character.

Red Wine

1. A light red or pink hue suggests the wine did not have much contact with the grape skin and is less likely aged in an oak barrel, resulting in a light and bright character.
2. The darker the wine, such as bordering on maroon or purple, the more time it has likely spent aging in oak barrels to develop a bold, rich flavor.

Swirling the Wine

After inspecting your glass of wine, you will want to begin swirling it around the glass to impart more oxygen into it. This helps break down the complexities of the wine, allowing it to “open up” and emit aromas, while also softening the flavor profile. There is no industry-specific way to swirl the wine, but typical standards consist of holding the glass by the stem or the base, avoiding the bulb where the glass meets the stem.

Looking for Legs

“Legs” in wine refers to the tears that stream down the side of the glass. They do not allude to the quality or the flavor of the contents inside the glass, but more often connote the alcohol level of the wine. If the legs move slowly down the sides of the glass with a thick gloss, then the wine likely has a higher alcohol level or sugar content. Shorter legs, which refers to a faster-moving streak, mean the wine has less sugar and less alcohol.

After swirling, you will want to gain a better idea of the wine's distinct aromas. To do this, you stick your nose deep into the wine glass, closing your eyes to encourage your sense of smell, and inhale deeply to find aromas that connect with familiar scents that may remind you of the surrounding elements when exploring the Amalfi Coast or as you travel through Sicily.

Detecting aromas in wine is subjective, and while some individuals may pinpoint the specific scents within a wine, others will uncover or describe aromas based on their unique perspectives. That said, there are some guidelines to assist you in finding and describing aromas when wine tasting in Italy. You will want to start by searching for the following:

• Primary Aromas – notable scents of fruits, herbs, or floral characteristics.
• Secondary Aromas – underlying scents that often connote the skill of a winemaker and showcase a derivative of the yeast that was used during fermentation, which often causes aromas similar to cheese rind and/or almond and peanut husks.
• Tertiary Aromas – adding to the complexity of scents that often stem from aging in a bottle or in oak, including roasted nuts, baking spices, cured leather, and coconut.

Describing the aromas of a wine can help to communicate the style of wine you prefer and the characteristics you look for when choosing your preferred glass or bottle. By finding the proper terms to describe the varied aromas of wine you sample, you can then use those to relay the type of wine you wish to have with dinner, enjoy during a summer afternoon in Italy, or buy for a special occasion as you explore on your luxury Italy tour & vacation.

Detecting aromas in a wine is subjective. While many people may find similar scents, different individuals can uncover or describe aromas based on their life experiences, while also varying due to their level of sensitivity, recognition, and ability to communicate what they find. Common descriptive aromas include:

White Wine

• Lemon rind
• Pineapple
• Stone fruit
• Peach
• Apricot
• Vanilla

Red Wine

• Cherries
• Strawberries
• Tobacco
• Leather
• Plums
• Peppers

By first smelling the wine, we can better prepare ourselves for the flavors to come by anticipating sour, sweet, salty, or bitter notes, which are based on the variety of aromas we detect when breathing in the wine.

The bitterness of a wine depends on the grape, while the sweetness is only detectable through tasting, as only the tongue can detect the flavor profile. When sampling the flavor of a wine, use the following tasting recommendations:

1. Sweetness – A sweet flavor refers to the sugar levels in the wine and is determined by a tingling sensation at the end of your tongue.
2. Acidity – An acidic character refers to tart or zesty elements, causing a tingling sensation at the front and sides of your tongue, and can also refer to how much the wine makes you salivate after finishing a sip. More salivation means a more acidic wine.
3. Tannin levels – The earthy element causes a bitter flavor in wine that is similar to placing a tea bag on your tongue, but adds texture, balance, and complexity, leaving a bitter taste at the front and sides of your tongue, and resulting in a dry mouth.
4. Fruity flavor – While the type of fruit found in a wine may vary, if you find an abundance of fruit flavor when sipping the wine, it is considered fruity.
5. The body – The combination of residual sugars, alcohol concentration, and how long the wine lingers in your mouth accounts for its body. If the taste lingers in your mouth longer than 30 seconds, the wine is considered full-bodied.

There is a range of terms associated with describing the process of wine-making and the characteristics of the wines themselves that can take on the local properties of places you visit as you create your Italy tour.

Knowing the terms used within the wine community portrays how others speak, share, converse, and learn about wine, opening the door for deeper discussions. The following list offers nine of the top terms associated with describing wine:

1. Fruit-forward – Wines with heavy, fruity aromas that are consistent with white and red wines that emit scents like raspberries, cherries, strawberries, or pineapple, with the fruity flavors dominating the scent and flavor.
2. Earthy – The word earthy refers to the savory aromas and flavors of a wine, ranging from scents that are not associated with sweetness, such as chocolate, rocks, beeswax, and spices.
3. Body – Light, medium, or full refers to the weighty feel of the wine on your palate.
4. Dry – Refers to the sweetness content of the wine, which can contain a sweet hint that is often found in full-bodied wines, but lacks an aggressive sugar content, leaving the taste buds tingling.
5. Tannin – The variety of different types of tannins refers to a character that is attributed to the body and taste of red wines from a naturally occurring compound that exists in grape skins, seeds, and stems
6. Finish – The typical sensation left in your mouth after you swallow the wine, or residual sweet, bitter, sour, smokey, and other tastes lingering on your palate..
7. Typicity – The main way to describe a wine from a specific region that is most often used as a comparison for finding wines with certain characteristics, such as sampling a Nebbiolo from Piedmont versus a Nebbiolo from Sicily.
8. Complexity – A wine whose flavor changes between your first sip and swallowing the wine, which is often used as the beginning of an explanation before providing more specific information.
9. Buttery – A wine that has been aged in oak, with a typical flat and rich flavor that is known to be less acidic. The flavor often hits the center of your tongue like an oil or butter, before offering a smooth finish.

Instead of having to do the groundwork yourself, a Zicasso travel specialist will find a variety of vineyards, both famous and boutique, as well as private drivers who know the areas, so you can simply indulge in the pleasures of wine tasting in Italy.

Whether desiring a tour that is guided by a wine-industry professional, such as a local sommelier, or preferring to discover the depth of different wines on your own, Zicasso customizes all Italy food and wine tours to suit your tastes.

Seeking more inspiration for your tour? Browse our Italy food and wine travel guide or discover more unique possibilities connected to your interests with our sample Italy wine tours and vacation packages that can be personalized to your tastes.