In our opinion rules are made to be broken! We'd like to share a few basic wine tasting guidelines and terms to help you feel more comfortable during your wine tasting experience.

1. What type of wines will I find in Temecula Wineries?
Allow us to introduce you to a few of our friends...

Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah (Also known as "Shiraz"), Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Meritage, Barbera and Grenache.

Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Champaign, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Bellissimo, Riesling and Roussanne.

Port, White Port, Muscat and Sherry.

2. What can I expect during a wine tasting?
Remember, Rockin' Wine tours are all about fun and relaxation. Our goal is to take the so called "snobbery" and "intimidation factor" out of wine tasting and help you have a great time on your Temecula Wine Tasting Tour. You'll soon feel at home in our friendly wine tasting rooms. Here are some wine tasting fundamentals...

Stage One - Eyeball or Appearance of the wine.
You'll want to look at the color, depth and clarity by tilting your glass from side to side. When titling the wine glass you are looking for the "legs" or "tears" of the wine. The legs will appear when the wine runs down the wine glass. By looking at these legs you can get an idea for the body of the wine. Usually a wine with stronger legs has a higher alcohol content. A red wine that is older will often have more orange tinges than that of a younger red wine. Older white wines are usually darker when comparing the same varietal at different ages.

StageTwo - Swirl and Sniff
This is the "In Glass" stage or the aroma of the wine. Give your wine glass a good swirl. Swirling the wine around the wine glass will help get the aromas flowing. Take a nice long sniff of the wine. There is a strong connection between your sense of smell and your sense of taste. Some aromas you may detect are flowery, fruity, spicy, earthy, or woody.

Stage Three - Sip
The Sipping phase will allow you to experience the "In Mouth" sensations of the wine. Try to get some oxygen in your mouth as you sip. Pucker your lips and "slurp" in some air as you drink. This will bring out the flavors and aromas of the wine. Take notice of balances between acidity, the tannin and alcohol. How does the wine feel in your mouth. Is it light, medium or full-bodied? What is your initial impression? Can you pick out the different flavors of the wine?

Stage Four - Finish
The finish or aftertaste is how long the wine taste lasts in your mouth after you swallow. Can you taste the wine flavors on the back of your tongue? With wine tasting YOU are the judge. It all boils down to personal taste. A wine that tastes good to YOU is a good wine!

3. What are people talking about when they say things like "woodsy", "fruity", etc? Where do those flavors come from?
Often times a wine taster will use comparatives to describe a flavor of the wine. These flavors have not been infused into the wine, they are just words used to describe how a wine tastes. Some flavors can be attributed to the way the wine has been aged. For instance, a wine aged in oak barrels can be enhanced with vanilla and oak overtones because the wine has taken on these properties from the oak.

4. Why do you swirl the wine around in the wine glass?
Swirling the wine around in the wine glass will help get the aromas flowing. Now take a nice long sniff of the wine. This helps with tasting as there are strong connections between your sense of smell and your sense of taste.

5. Why do you tilt your wine glass?
When titling the wine glass you are looking for the legs or tears of the wine. The legs will appear in the way the wine runs down the wine glass. By looking at these legs you can get an idea for the body or thickness of the wine.

6. How do I know which wines to pair with which foods?
The general rules are to pair lighter wines with lighter foods and heavier wines with heavier foods. White wine usually goes well with chicken and fish while red wine does well with red meats and tomato based pasta dishes. Don't be afraid to break the rules! You may discover a combination that you really enjoy.

7. How many calories are in a glass of wine?
Don't worry about this, just have fun and worry about your diet tomorrow! Seriously, wine is one of the lower caloric alcoholic beverages. If you are worried about your calorie intake, Temecula white wines usually have less calories per serving. While Temecula Red Wines tops out at approximately 125 calories.

Wines will usually fall into three basic categories...

Tannin
Tannin comes from the grape skins, the seeds, and the stems. Tannin can also come from the oak barrels the wine is aged in. Tannin causes the mouth watering/puckering feeling you get during the finish or aftertaste.  If a wine contains too much tannin can taste bitter.

Acidity
Acidity can often be an indicator of dryness. Acidity is also indicative of the level of crispness. White wines are usually more acidic than red wines.

Sweetness
Sweetness is said to be the opposite of dry. An Off-dry is a dry wine with a slight amount sweetness. Don't confuse the fruityness for sweetness. Often times our brain will confuse a fruity taste with a sweet taste.

Barreled or Barrel-Aged is a Wine that has been aged in wood barrels, usually oak.

The Finish or Aftertaste is how long the wines taste lasts in your mouth.

Nose is simply another term for the aroma the wine gives off. The nose can also be a reference to the act of smelling the wine.

Legs or Tears are the trails of liquid that run down the sides of the glass when you swirl it.

Oenophile

 a lover of wine. Usually possessing a disciplined devotion to wine. Wine lovers who appreciate or collect wine, particularly grape wines from certain regions.

Palate is the range of sensations detected in the mouth during tasting.

Sommelier is a wine steward that is trained and knowledgeable in the wine profession.

Rockin' Wine Tours are known as the most fun way to tour Temecula's wineries.

Reserve is a term used to indicate a higher quality of wine and one that has been aged.

Tannin is a group of compounds obtained from the grapes’ skins, seed, stems or from the wooden barrels the wine has been aged in. Tannins help to give you that puckering sensation when you drink wine. Red wine usually has more Tannin than white wines. Tannins also helps to preserve the wine.

Texture is a word used to describe how the wine feels in your mouth.

Varietal is a wine made from one specific type of grape (or a required percentage of a specific type of grape).

Vintage is the year that grapes in the bottle of wine were harvested.

Viscosity is used to describe the wine’s appearance and thickness. A higher or thicker viscosity simply means that the wine appears thicker and more condensed.

Vintner is a winemaker.