The 5 S’s of Wine Tasting

Everyday, Adams County Winery gets to chat with wine lovers from across the globe. We see everyone from wine connoisseurs to first time wine drinkers! No matter who walks through our doors, our goal is to make sure guests feel comfortable with the entire wine experience, from start to finish. Whether you’re visiting Gettysburg for the first time or you’re a local, we love creating a fun environment for you!

Knowing how to taste our delicious wines can easily elevate the experience all together. Luckily, it isn’t hard to do! The simple rule to remember is: think of the five S’s – See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, & Savor.

See – Check your wine out! Look at the liquid while it’s still in the bottle, as well as when you pour it. The color, viscosity, and opacity will help to tell you what you’re about to drink. If it has a higher viscosity, the “mouth-feel”, or thickness, of the wine will be more present. Looking at the viscosity can help you determine if the wine is something that you’re interested in from the very start. Checking for color and opacity can also help hint at the wine’s age and taste. Some white wines will darken in color while some reds will fade in color as they age!

Swirl – Give your glass a swirl. Setting the glass on a table or hard surface, hold the base firmly and swirl the glass a few times. Remember not to fill the glass more than halfway or you’ll spill! Swirling helps to expose your drink to more oxygen, or otherwise known as ‘opening up’ the wine. As you swirl, the wine will soften up, leaving you with a more pleasant sip!

Smell – Don’t skip this step – the nose drinks first! Smelling the wine allows your senses to get a better grasp on what’s to come. The aromas will come forward, revealing what notes are within. The nose is responsible for picking up about 80% of the flavor rather than tasting the wine directly, so smelling is very important! Try to see if you can detect some fruity, floral, or earthy notes before you sip.

Sip – This is our favorite step – the sipping! Once you’re done sniffing, take a small sip and let the wine cover your taste buds. Take notice to how the wine changes on your taste buds in the front, middle, and back of the mouth.

Savor – Finally, we get to savor the delicious wine we just tasted. The finish, or what you taste after the wine is consumed, can dramatically change your opinion of the wine. Some finishes are long and drawn out allowing you to feel the wine linger for longer. Others are short and to the point, so they do not last long on the tongue.

Finding your favorite wine at Adams County Winery doesn’t take a lot of work! Our team is committed to helping you find what works best for your taste buds. If you’re looking for the ultimate Gettysburg wine tasting experience, grab the nearest bottle of ACW wine and let us know how the 5 S’s helped you!

Feeling thirsty? Shop our wines here!