Wine Tasting for Beginners — What to Say, What to Expect, and How Not to Panic
Your friends invited you to a wine tasting trip. You said yes. Now you're quietly googling “what do you say at a wine tasting” at 11pm. This guide is for you.
First: Nobody Is Testing You
The person behind the counter at an Okanagan winery is not a sommelier judging your palate. They're a host who pours wine all day and genuinely enjoys it when someone is trying things for the first time. You don't need to impress anyone. You just need a few words beyond “um, it's good.”
That said, having a handful of terms in your back pocket makes the experience more fun — not because you need to perform, but because it helps you actually describe what you're tasting and remember it later.
The Four Steps They'll Walk You Through
At most tasting rooms, the host will pour you a small amount and let you go at your own pace. Here's what's actually happening:
1. Look
Hold the glass against a white background (a napkin works). You're checking the colour — a deep ruby red vs. a pale garnet tells you something about the grape and age. For whites, straw-yellow vs. golden. You don't need to say anything profound here. Just notice.
2. Swirl
Give the glass a gentle swirl on the table. This isn't pretentious — it opens up the aromas. The "legs" that run down the side of the glass tell you about alcohol and body. Thick, slow legs = fuller body. Thin, fast legs = lighter.
3. Smell
Stick your nose in the glass. Seriously, get it in there. You might catch fruit, flowers, vanilla, pepper, or something earthy. Whatever comes to mind first is valid. "It smells like cherries" is a perfectly good observation. The fancy word for smell is "nose" — as in, "this wine has a nice nose."
4. Taste
Take a sip and let it sit on your tongue for a second before swallowing. Notice what hits first (the "attack"), what you taste in the middle (the "mid-palate"), and what lingers after you swallow (the "finish"). A long finish is generally a sign of quality.
Words That Actually Help (and What They Mean)
You don't need a wine dictionary. These ten words cover about 90% of what you'll want to express:
| Term | What It Means | How to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | Not sweet. Most reds and many whites are dry. | "Is this one dry or off-dry?" |
| Off-dry | Slightly sweet — not dessert-wine sweet, just a hint. | "I usually like something off-dry." |
| Tannins | That drying, grippy feeling on your tongue and gums. Comes from grape skins and oak. Think strong black tea. | "The tannins on this are really smooth." |
| Body | How heavy the wine feels in your mouth — like skim milk (light) vs. whole milk (full). | "This is really full-bodied." |
| Acidity | The crisp, tart, mouthwatering quality. Think lemon juice. Makes wine refreshing. | "I like wines with good acidity." |
| Fruit-forward | The fruit flavours are front and centre — berries, stone fruit, citrus. | "This is really fruit-forward — I'm getting a lot of cherry." |
| Earthy | Tastes less like fruit and more like soil, mushrooms, leather, or forest floor. | "There's something earthy going on here. I like it." |
| Oaky | You can taste the barrel — vanilla, caramel, toast, sometimes a smoky quality. | "Is this one aged in oak?" |
| Finish | What lingers after you swallow. Long finish = complex wine. | "That finish goes on forever." |
| Balanced | Nothing overpowers — the fruit, acid, tannins, and alcohol all work together. | "This is really well balanced." |
Questions They'll Ask You (and What to Say)
Here are the most common things a tasting room host will ask, and how to answer without freezing:
"What do you usually drink?"
They're trying to figure out where to start you. They're not quizzing you.
Be honest. "I mostly drink beer, honestly" or "I like sweeter stuff" or "I have no idea — that's why I'm here" are all great answers. They'll tailor the tasting to you.
"Do you prefer reds or whites?"
This helps them pick a flight or sequence for you.
If you don't know, say "I'm open to both." They'll usually start you with whites and work toward reds, which is the standard progression — light to heavy.
"What do you think of this one?"
This is the big one. They're not expecting poetry. They want to know if you liked it and what stood out.
Use your new words. "It's really smooth — low tannins, right?" or "I'm getting a lot of fruit" or "This one's drier than I expected" are all solid. Even "I think I like the previous one more — it was less oaky" shows you're paying attention.
"Would you like to try something bolder / lighter / sweeter?"
They're reading your reactions and guiding you.
Say yes. This is how you discover what you actually like. The whole point of a tasting is to try things outside your usual range.
"Do you want to spit?"
At many wineries there's a dump bucket on the counter. Spitting (or pouring out what you don't finish) is completely normal, especially if you're visiting multiple wineries.
"Yes, please" is perfectly fine. Spitting is not rude — it's smart. You'll last longer through the day and actually remember the wines you liked.
Common Okanagan Grapes (So You Know What You're Tasting)
You don't need to memorize these. Just having a rough sense of what's common in the Okanagan means you won't be caught off guard when someone pours you a “Gewurztraminer” and expects you to know what that is.
Whites
- Chardonnay — ranges from crisp and clean to buttery and oaky
- Pinot Gris — light, refreshing, easy-drinking. A safe go-to if you're unsure
- Riesling — can be bone-dry or sweet. Always ask which style
- Gewurztraminer — aromatic, floral, a little spicy. Distinctive
- Viognier — peachy, round, with a silky texture
Reds
- Merlot — soft, fruity, approachable. The Okanagan does excellent Merlot
- Pinot Noir — lighter red, silky, red fruit. Naramata Bench specialty
- Cabernet Franc — peppery, medium body, herbal notes
- Syrah — dark, spicy, bold. If you like big flavours
- Cabernet Sauvignon — classic full-bodied red. Often blended
Tasting Room Etiquette (The Unwritten Rules)
- Don't wear strong perfume or cologne — it interferes with everyone's ability to smell the wine, including yours
- Hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl. Your hand warms the wine and leaves fingerprints. It's a small thing but it signals you've done this before
- It's okay to not finish a pour. Use the dump bucket. Nobody is offended
- You don't have to buy a bottle at every stop — but if you loved something, buying one is a nice way to support the winery (and your tasting fee is often waived with a purchase)
- Ask questions. "What makes this vineyard special?" or "What would you pair this with?" are great conversation starters and hosts love talking about their wines
- Pace yourself. Three to four wineries in a day is a good number. After that, your palate gets fatigued and everything starts to taste the same
The Cheat Sheet (Save This for the Drive There)
If you remember nothing else from this post, remember these five things:
- 1Swirl, smell, sip. In that order. Take your time.
- 2"Dry" means not sweet. Most wines are dry. If you want something sweeter, ask for "off-dry" or a late-harvest wine.
- 3When they ask what you think, describe what you taste — fruit, pepper, vanilla, earth — and whether you like it. That's literally all you need.
- 4Use the dump bucket. Spit or pour out what you don't want. Staying sharp through the day is more important than finishing every pour.
- 5Write down what you liked. Names, vintages, tasting notes. You will forget by tomorrow.
Track Your Tastings
The hardest part of a wine tasting day isn't the tasting — it's remembering what you liked afterward. The Okanagan Wineries app has a built-in tasting journal where you can rate wines, jot down what you tasted, and snap a photo of the label. When you're back home and someone asks “what was that amazing red you had?” you'll actually have an answer.
Plan Your Trip with the App
Browse 210+ Okanagan wineries, log tastings, plan multi-stop tours, and track your cellar — all offline.