If you are planning on going on a wine tasting tour, but don't have much experience wine tasting in general, now is the perfect time to learn. While many people go on these tours without much experience with wine, there are some etiquette rules you should keep in mind.

Avoid Wearing Strong Scents

This might seem silly, but it is actually really important when you are wine tasting. Many people want to smell the scent of their wine during the wine tasting process, which is difficult to do when their nose is overwhelmed by the smell of your fragrance. Try to either leave off all heavy fragrances or use something light and subtle when you go wine tasting. It can also affect your own tasting experience, providing another reason to be careful what perfume or cologne you wear.

Be Careful How Much You Drink

When you are wine tasting, you have the option to either swallow the sip of wine you took or spit it into the dump bucket in front of you. There is no right or wrong way to do this and it is entirely up to you. However, be careful when you decide to swallow most of the wine. Don't go too fast or take big drinks. Not only does this appear rude during a wine tasting, but it could cause you to become intoxicated, which isn't what others want to deal with during a wine tasting. Take sips of wine and drink plenty of water during the day. Go slowly between each glass you try. After taking your few sips to taste a glass of wine, dump the rest into the bucket.

Learn the Basic Technique

You don't have to look like a wine connoisseur when you go on a wine tour, but it helps to know the basic technique for wine tasting. When your glass of wine is poured, make sure you always hold it by the stem, as holding on the bow of the glass can affect the temperature and taste of the wine. Before you sniff its aroma, swirl it around the glass a few times. This allows the aroma to aerate, which gives it a stronger scent. Inhale the aroma of the wine, then take a sip immediately afterward. Let the wine swirl in your mouth to get the full taste of it before spitting it into the bucket or swallowing the sip.

Also remember when wine tasting, buying the occasional bottle is often expected. You don't need to buy a bottle of every wine you taste, but try to buy one bottle at each winery, choosing your favourite of the ones you tried.