Have you ever noticed that most people swirl their wine before they taste it? There is a reason behind this that we will discuss below. 

Reasons to Swirl Wine Before Tasting It 

Swirling a glass of wine does not only look cool, as a matter of fact, it also serves several functions. 

1. Swirling will allow some evaporation to happen. Some unpredictable compounds will dissipate when moved around in a circular motion. These compounds include sulfides, (which smell like match sticks), sulfites (which smell like rotten eggs), and ethanol (better known as rubbing alcohol)l. 
2. Swirling a glass of wine before drinking it will help activate esters as well as aromatizing them. This will allow you to smell more of the wine. As a result, you will be able to enjoy it even more. For best results, make sure to use a glass that has a tulip shape as it will concentrate the aromas up to the nose.
3. Swirling will also allow the wine to breathe. This action will allow the oxygen to interact with the wine’s tannins and open them up. This is also a good reason why young wines should be poured through an aerator or decanted. 

How to Swirl Wine Like A Pro

One of the best ways to practice the art of swirling a glass of wine is to fill a wine glass with water. 

There is a bit of variance when it comes to the viscosity of a glass of water and a glass of wine because of the alcohol content of the wine. However, they are similar enough that you can become aware of how much pressure you need to apply once you swirl the glass.

Since you are using water there won’t be any problems with sloshing the content of your glass, which means no more ruining clothing or tablecloths due to spilled wine. 

Once you have perfected swirling a glass of wine, you can now progress the next stage of being a wine connoisseur, which is to smell it. 

This will help you to become more aware of the wine, which in turn will help you enjoy it more. Keep swirling your wine to get the full experience of the flavors and smells.