The human tongue has somewhere between 2000 and 8000 taste buds at any one time. There are more on the roof of your mouth, your throat and even your oesophagus! They are the gateway to a world of experiences – and all that’s required is to pay a little attention to what these amazing receptors are sensing – a medley of thousands of tastes. And we haven’t even mentioned smell yet!
The world of wine offers one of the most pleasurable routes to refining one’s sense of taste. And while it’s garnered a reputation for being a tad highfalutin, if you put aside the posturing everyone has an inner sommelier just waiting to burst out. So here are our tips to getting more out of your wine…
Famed English sommelier Michael Broadbent set out three wine tasting principles back in 1982 which stand to this day: practice, memory and notes. Simply put – you need to start off by familiarising yourself with different types of wine, where they come from and what tastes and aromas you can discern in them. Jotting down notes helps to cement things in the mind and to gradually distinguish one from another. Over time you build up a personal database – a mind wine palace if you will – simply by paying attention. Then there’s technique to imbibing the wine, which involves seeing, swirling, smelling, sipping – and of course swallowing! Tools matter too – drink your wine from the right glass – it should be curved so you can swirl effectively. When you bring it up to your nose, close your eyes and consider what it reminds you of. Don’t overthink – over time you’ll peel back layers of flavour that previously seemed unattainable! Besides the direct experience, there is value of course in reading. There’s lots of literature – and indeed tutorials – online that can help you navigate the world of wine tasting. One of our favourites is Wine & Food: The Perfect Match, which takes you to the next level of finding the perfect pairings for your palate.
And what better way to develop your palate than by sampling Karma Group’s growing collection of fine wines, ranging from roses to Riojas, Burgundies to Beaujolais – available across our resort network – excluding India – although we’re in the process of introducing a selection of leading wines to our Indian resorts in the near future – so make sure your taste buds are primed and ready!
