Participating in a wine tasting is an awesome event to experience with family and friends. Be sure to plan ahead, call and reserve for large parties and most importantly be prompt in your arrival and be sure to have your ID. A pet peeve of many wine house directors is guests arriving 15-minutes to closing, browsing for 45-minutes and leaving without patronizing. It is considered boorish, i.e., rude in any wine country, besides wine connoisseurs are a fun bunch and knowledgeable servers love catering to them; awakening the pallet. “Propino tibi!” is an Italian toast meaning – “I drink to you.” It is also a proper salutation to sip from once you have as you swirled and whiffed the dos and don’ts of wine tasting etiquette. First, DO get the glass into your hands and then:
Hold it properly
Only by its stem because the heat of your hand will naturally warm the contents of your glass.
The contents of the glass
Expect to be served 3-4oz (roughly an inch or less) of each wine. This is a sufficient amount to sample and enjoy before moving onto the next flavor.
Swirl
Aerate the grape. Swirling releases the flavors aromas into the bowl of the glass.
Be mindful of your manners
Ask for a spittoon cup if you know you are not going to digest all of the sweetness your pallet is to sample.
Ask questions
If you have a question about the body of a wine or the flavors therein, do instruct them to your server, they are happy to expound on their expert knowledge. If find you would like more of a particular wine, say to your server,
‘May I please revisit?’ and like magic over the rim you will revisit soon.
Moderate Sipper
Don’t feel pressured to drink all of the contents of your wine glass, feel free to sip water in between each flavor to preserve the excitement of your palette.
Variety Taster
Experts suggest you start with the lightest of white wines and work your way into the darker reds.
While there are so many wonderful etiquettes that should be utilized there are some that should be banned from the vineyard, like:
Do not participate in a wine tasting on an empty stomach
It’s a recipe for social disaster and will wreak havoc on your blood system and conversation.
Don’t overdo it
Experts generally suggest a 1:2 ratio as it pertains to wine tastings and meals, but that doesn’t mean you should set a goal to meet it. 1-2 tastings in a day should suffice.
Do not argue with the winery staff about the winery policy.
If the representative says there’s no smoking, large parties, animals, bikes or children – keep in mind that rules are in place for the comfort and safety of all guests. Relax and sip.
A full-bodied experience awaits you at your next wine tasting, be sure to aerate the dos and don’ts and savor the flavor of the palate. It makes you the novice expert on the manners of the vine.
**Grabbed from: http://www.vinomaxproducts.com/blog/wine-tasting-etiquette/