Wandisile’s Plett
A blog by Wandisile Sebezo
How to swirl, smell and slurp at the Plett Wine & Bubbly
Photo: Mark “Scrumpy” Jackson
The fourth Plett Wine and Bubbly is around the corner and you need to know how to Swirl, Smell and Slurp.
Wine Tourism is booming the world over, and the Plett Winelands are not about to be left behind. So it’s that time of the year for Plett Vineyards to showcase the best they can offer, so I thought a few tips and some etiquette might come in handy.
In any circumstances where wine tasting is to be observed, even at a dinner table, ideally- smell is of utmost importance. Our sense of smell is responsible for the transmission of the specific aromas that make up a wine’s flavour, it is here where we’re able to tell of the wine’s character.
Which then enables us to tell how sweet, sour, tannic (chewy), bitter or alcoholic the wine is. Smelling and swirling go hand in hand, as you swirl the wine, you’re liberating the aromas, offering for a decent smelling pleasure.
Countless studies also advise that it is polite and considerate to minimise any distracting aromas, like reeking of old cigarette smoke. Strong perfume can also ruin a wine tasting experience, and lads, after-shave is as bad also. That’s why flowers are rarely displayed in places where wines are tasted, and hence rooms are aired beforehand.
Wine is meant to be drunk with food, others may disapprove of food smells but arg, I for one have space for food related aromas, and we love our food and wine, don’t we?
Greet the first wine with pleasure, not entirely with a peak of enthusiasm – that is if you’re particularly planning on tasting more wines than one.
Because you will be issued with one glass for the entire setup, it’s better to progress from whites to rosés to reds. Of course this is not customary, as opposed to other wine regions – for us it’s just for convenience, I suppose.
So in summary, it’s very important to make an appointment when visiting any vineyard, go to www.pletttourism.com for information about Plett Winelands. DON’T wear perfume and after-shave, and lastly – SWIRL, SMELL AND SLURP!!!
See you on the 25th and 26th of November at the Plett Wine and Bubbly Fest, tickets are selling at R200 a day pass and R350 a weekend pass.
Oh, avoid brushing your teeth before tasting wine, horrid experience…
