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Oklahoma Wine News - Your Daily Source for Oklahoma Wine Tasting Events

The growing Oklahoma Winery and Vineyard Industry has prompted many of our visitors to request more detailed information on winery visits, wine tasting tips and food & wine pairings.  "Every bottle of wine is like a journey, so it is best to know where you are going and to travel with friends." On this page we have tried to share some tips and resources to help you make the most of your wine tasting opportunities.

The idea behind wine tasting is as simple as this. Slow down, relax and take the time to think about what you're drinking. 

SAFETY TIP: Have a Designated Driver. It goes without saying that wines are alcoholic beverages and deserve respect. The average tasting room offers 5 or 6 wines that end up equaling a glass of wine at each winery. If you visit four wineries that is roughly the same as four glasses of wine. This is the major benefit of the bus and limousine tours - no driving. Our winery usually offers around two dozen wines for visitors to taste! We try to make something for everyone.

Oklahoma Wine Event Photos

Harwelden Mansion - "Tastes from Around the World"

This charitable event was held to benefit a gifted kids school run by the University of Tulsa.  Lots of folks turned out on February 28, 2004 to help out, here are some of the pictures from that event.

General Wine Tasting Tips 

1. Start by holding your tasting glass up to the light to observe its color and its texture (or weight).

2. Next swirl the wine around in your tasting glass. Observe the streaks of wine (legs) as they roll down the side of the glass. The legs can help you determine the body of the wine. The swirling will also allow the aroma of the wine to be released into the air. Stick your nose right down into the glass to detect the fragrances being released. 

Never underestimate the importance of smell. We actually smell most of the things that we think we taste. Our taste-buds can discern only five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. OK, that last one is a little controversial.  The fact is, the human nose is capable of discerning thousands of subtle variation of scents, distilling sensations even from the recesses of memory.

3. Slowly and carefully taste the wine making sure it comes in contact with each part of your tongue (the tip, the sides, the center and the back). Each part of your tongue specializes in a different taste sensation so it is important to slurp the wine around in your mouth so that each part of your tongue gets a turn to taste. 

It's okay to dump wine after you have tasted it. All tasting rooms have dump buckets and if you don't see one, ask the tasting room to dump it for you. Some prefer to spit after tasting. It sounds rude, but if you are planning to visit several wineries, it will help you keep your senses clear.

There are no right or wrong descriptions of how a wine tastes or smells. Just like meeting new people, you have to meet them for yourself, to really know them. The opinions of others are little help.  Everyone's palate is as unique and different as each individual. Want to learn more? Any one of the wine magazines in the wine magazine gift guide below, or the wine books we list make a good start and of course visit some Oklahoma wineries! Visit Oklahoma Wine News Blog Daily and never miss another Oklahoma wine tasting event.