Wine Tasting 101 - Wine Tours are our Specialty

One of the most popular reasons for chartering a chauffeured vehicle is to go wine tasting. California Limo Wine Tours is one of the many sister companies of Ecko Worldwide Transportation Group. Nestled in the heart of California wine country, we provide wine tour service nearly every weekend using sedans, SUV’s, limos and buses to fulfill an exciting day of wine tasting.

Wine tours are a favorite group activity for many occasions such as corporate events, bachelor parties, birthdays, etc. In our experience, many people are wine tasting for the first time or don’t have much experience with it.

Use this Wine Tasting 101 lesson to educate yourself before the trip:

No Heavy Meals

Because you are going to be filling your belly with liquid, heavy breakfasts and lunches should be avoided. Instead, have a light snack beforehand, avoid rich or flavorful items that might affect your palate or leave you feeling bloated.

Snacking

If cheese is offered with your wine tasting experience, eat it! The acidity in cheese will help refresh your palate. Wine in a tasting room is usually poured with the lightest wine first and progresses to the more rich, bold and flavorful wines as you progress through what is known as the “flight of wines” being sampled. The bigger a wine’s flavor, the more it desensitizes the palate. It is important to snack between wineries since you will likely be starting over with a light wine and the flavors could be lost without a palate cleansing.

Do Not Drink What You Prefer

If you are making your wine tour a day of drinking, choose what you like. However, if you want to expand your palate tastes with other varietals of wine, try new things. Perhaps you have never tried a Charbono or a Malbec. Instead of comparing them to your favorite wine style, appreciate the taste of something new and expand your palate. Wines can impart many flavors such as oak, vanilla, cinnamon and even tobacco. Expand your horizon. What do you taste?

Taste Like a Pro

Tasting wine is a process of evaluation. With a little knowledge you can enjoy the experience like a pro. Swirl the wine in the glass. The flow will show the viscosity or heaviness of the wine. If it moves like milk, it is likely a much richer, more viscus wine than if it simply looks like water. Smell the wine immediately before your first taste. Know what you are about to put in your mouth.

After reading this blog, you probably are eager to go test your new wine tasting skills. This weekend is the perfect time to enjoy some vino. Whether you are looking for a romantic day for two in a sedan or plan to bring 30 of your friends along, Ecko Limo and our sister company, California Limo Wine Tours are ready to whisk you a way for a fun day. Reserve today by calling 877-FLY-ECKO.