{"id":35749,"date":"2022-08-15T08:14:56","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T06:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=35749"},"modified":"2022-08-15T08:14:56","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T06:14:56","slug":"4-things-you-didnt-know-about-wine-tasting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/4-things-you-didnt-know-about-wine-tasting\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Wine Tasting"},"content":{"rendered":"

The South African wine industry has evolved greatly since the first wine was produced in South Africa in 1659. And so has the South African wine consumer.<\/p>\n

Of course, wine lovers are excited to get back to wine tasting evenings<\/a> in the aftermath of the national lockdowns. But winemakers are also seeing a new generation of budding wine enthusiasts emerge who are keen to give wine tastings a try.<\/p>\n

AbuzzWine\u2019s Nick Plummer, the man behind the wine evenings at Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa, shares the ins and outs of wine tastings for first-time wine tasters. He also dispels a few myths along the way.<\/p>\n

PriceCheck tip:<\/strong> You can shop and find South Africa’s best wines online<\/a> using PriceCheck’s comprehensive wine listings and deals.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa\u2019s Wine Society meets on the last Thursday of every month. At R340 per person you\u2019ll be able to chat to the winemakers, taste 9 different wines and enjoy delicious snacks and small plates from the kitchen of Chef Stefan Bekker.<\/p>\n

1. You don\u2019t have to be a wine snob<\/h3>\n

Although wine events have an \u2018elitist\u2019 reputation, the reality is actually a lot more relaxed, fun and informative.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreconceptions, myths and misgivings abound,\u201d says Plummer. \u201cFor example, people worry that they don\u2019t have a refined enough palate; that they need to appear knowledgeable; or that their lack of wine knowledge will be shown up. It\u2019s simply not true. And if you go in with that attitude, you\u2019ll have a dreadful time. Or feel obligated to buy one or two bottles of wine, and leave with the next-to-cheapest bottle under your arm as a guilt purchase. Don\u2019t be that person!\u201d Shopping for wine<\/a> is a personal decision and shouldn’t involve anyone else’s likes and dislikes.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe leave any \u2018elitist behaviour\u2019 to the folks who have probably never paid for a bottle of wine, and spend their lives swirling, sniffing, slurping and spitting. There\u2019s no real fun to be had there! The good news, is that those people don\u2019t attend social wine tasting events,\u201d says Plummer.<\/p>\n

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2. Forget investment. It\u2019s a journey of discovery<\/h3>\n

There is a tiny percentage of people who buy wine as an investment, but going to a wine tasting doesn\u2019t generally lead us down that path, explains Plummer, instead it should be a journey of discovery.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a social event, such as Thursday evenings with the Erinvale Wine Society, or a trip to a wine farm, it\u2019s all about:<\/p>\n