Learning about wine is entertaining as well as educational. Attending a Tasters Guild wine tasting is one step in the educational process while enjoying yourself. Seeing so much wine at one time, in one room can be mind boggling. Where do I start? What do I drink? All I know is that this will be fun! WRONG.

Wine tastings have become very popular in recent years as non-profit organizations have found that many people will attend a tasting for a good cause and consider it part of their entertainment and a community event. But these events pose a kind of a problem — a sizable number of wines to taste. So how does one navigate through this vast vineyard of wines without ending up face up on the floor or face down in the spit bucket?

TASTING STRATEGY

What is needed is a plan. First off, don’t try to taste all of the wines. Second, look the list of wines over and start with the wine varieties you recognize and like, then start your tasting. Forget those wines or types that you have tried in the past and did not care for. Your plan should also include SPITTING. Though it may seem wrong to spit out good wine, you must remember that you will probably taste more wine then your would normally drink. Since this is a tasting, spitting is a necessity, albeit a dreadful one.

Before getting drawn into the liquid smorgasbord, study the brochure, look for friendly wineries, and then ignore them. You came to taste different and new wineries right? Start with the white wine first, light to heavy wines should be the plan (you will have to bounce around from table to table). Maybe you should scout out just where or what table your pre-selected wine is located. When you taste your choice and you enjoy it, try other whites from this winery, if offered. A reminder:  When you have had your glass poured, step back from the station and let others be served. Once you have tasted, made comments in your brochure, step up to a spit bucket and Spit. Always have a little food between the styles of wine you have tasted. Enjoying the cheese and other food will prevent your taste buds from going dull.

After the whites, move onto the reds, doing the same as above, light to heavy. Keep the sweet/dessert wines for last. If you feel that your “buds” have gone numb, bread will revive your tongue.

Remember that a tasting is not “Spring break, all you can drink events.” Make sure you take notes on the wines you like. It helps after you have examined so many offerings. Also they help in remembering, in the next morning’s haze.

Bill Tobin is a longtime wine educator and chapter director of the Tasters Guild’s Milwaukee chapter.