Ep 012: Wine Etiquette - What NOT To Do at a Wine Tasting

Published: March 25, 2011, 1 p.m.

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Building on last week\'s episode of "How to Speak to a Sommelier," we get into it on wine etiquette basics. Believe it or not, there are some unwritten rules about tasting wine in a formal setting.\\xa0 Whether you\\u2019re at a winery, wine bar, or a fancy dinner, Elizabeth and Rick help by explaining \\u2018wine etiquette\\u2019. \\xa0

Thanks to Matt M. and Brandy for leaving comments on the blog and giving us the idea for this show topic! We love when you suggest stuff for us to talk about!

  • Shout-outs - Awesome reviews on iTunes, the blog, and the Facebook page. Thank you so much for engaging with us and for giving us great feedback. The motivation is huge for us to keep doing cool stuff and making the \'cast better and better! You are awesome!
  • Huge props to Steve Paulo at Notes from the Cellar - a wine blog that previously covered 8 Rules for Visiting Tasting Rooms, some of which we covered and some that we didn\'t!
  • Main Topic - Wine Etiquette
    1. We go through the whole presentation schtik in a restaurant -- and tell you what to do with the cork (don\'t bite it PLEASE!).
    2. I don\'t mention my pet peeve about fingerprints on the bowl of glass, but instead we tell you the real reason why you should hold a glass by the stem or the base.
    3. We discuss the spit or swallow controversy...in a tasting of course (you didn\'t think we were going X-rated on you, did you?)
    4. I can\'t help myself and discuss the dos and don\'ts when you attend a wine class with an expert (I may sound rude, but from my angle, if you don\'t want to learn, don\'t go!).
    5. Rick and I explore the etiquette of wine tasting rooms and what you can expect when visiting...including the burning question: When visiting a tasting room, are you obligated to buy a bottle of wine?
    6. And lots more!

  • Grape of the Week - Merlot (I don\'t know if we did a great job explaining this one, to be honest so if you have questions, pop \'em over. At least I admit it...)
  • We didn\'t say it, but next week is Food & Wine Pairing...it\'s my take on it, so a little different than the usual spiel. Tune in for more!
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