Before someone plops down a few thousand dollars to take a tour of the world's major wine producing countries, it would be nice to know good wine from bad. Learning to appreciate good wine can be an expensive process. Really good wine can be quite expensive and just buying a bottle could take the entire vacation budget.

The answer is to book a specialized type of wine tour marketed as a wine tasting or wine school tour. These tours, especially the schools, might be "beneath" the wine connoisseur, but would be perfect for the beginning wine lover. In addition to being located in some exotic locales, these tours can be very educational. An added benefit is that the tourist might get at least a sip of the world's best fermented grapes as part of the deal.

Tasting Basics

Before leaving on one of these tours, it would be beneficial to know some of the basics of wine tasting. At least then, the tourist can pass for a somewhat experienced wine fan even if a neophyte. There are some very established steps for wine tasting and the actual drinking comes last in the process. A good deal of wine tasting involves the nose and eyes.

First, the wine needs to be poured into a suitable wine glass, one that is clear with a rounded bottom. Look at the wine first – is it a clear bright red, or yellowish? Is there sediment in the bottom? Next smell, first for the aroma, then deeper into the glass for a closer analysis. Combining the smell and look of the wine with its taste will help a wine taster associate what they like with what is in the glass. Lately, taste the wine and swirl it around in the mouth so that it reaches all the taste buds.

Tasting Atmosphere

Of course, the real key here is where to do the tasting. Learning to love a Chianti wine in an Italian villa outside Florence will leave a better impression than tasting it anywhere else. The same can be said for taking a class in wine tasting, although that also can be done at many community colleges around the United States.

Taking a wine tasting trip also has the added educational advantage of letting the tourist see how and where the wines are produced. In the final analysis, whether the wine of choice is Champagne or ripple, quality depends on what the taster likes. The more one knows, the more likely someone will be to appreciate finer quality. Being told is one way to learn, but sipping a Burgundy in Burgundy, France or a Bordeaux in Bordeaux after touring the vineyard will leave a stronger enthusiasm that can be carried over to the next open bottle.

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