I love to go wine tasting but am by no means a wine snob. In fact, despite the fact that I drink a glass of wine every day, I rarely spend more than $10-12 on a bottle and am always learning new things about wine. In fact, I am still learning wine tasting tips every time I visit California’s wine country.
I’ve been spending a lot of time in Napa Valley and other areas of California wine country lately, which left me thinking about all the mystery that surrounds wine tasting. I say mystery because there are a lot of things that people wonder about wine tasting, like “should I “chew” and spit the wine?” Most people who go wine tasting aren’t wine snobs either, and many don’t have the courage to ask what they might think are dumb questions.
Well, don’t worry because I’ll do the asking about wine tasting tips.
1. How much should I expect to spend to taste wine?
Wine tasting varies a lot. In California, lesser-known wine areas like Lodi have complimentary tastings! When the tasting is free, I usually buy a bottle. In contrast, Napa Valley is the most expensive area–most tastings are $15-20 per person and some are even $50 or more. However, there are some ways to get around those steep tasting fees, including visiting less touristy wineries and, if you’re in Napa Valley, opt for the $25 wine tasting card for tasting rooms in Napa.
2. How will I know where to go?
Plan your tastings based on what types of wineries you would like to visit and how much their tastings are. If you choose carefully, you may not need to visit more than a couple. Decide what types of wineries you would like to visit: small and homey, large and decadent, with formal gardens, with art, with a tour, specializing in whites or red…?