Watercolor-style illustration of a wine tasting: a young woman with eyes closed sips red wine, an older man holds his glass up to a window, and a tasting room host pours between them.
Napa Valley, Pour Story, Sierra Foothills, Wine 101

A Beginner’s Guide to Tasting Wine Without the Pageant

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At a Napa tasting room, I watched a young woman on her first solo wine trip get a little smaller with every pour. This is the beginner’s guide I wish someone had handed her: what each step of tasting is actually for, why the best hosts pour small, and five side-by-side pairs to try at home.