WINE COURSE: [ guest post from The Egg Out West ]

why hello there maple & shade readers! It's Meagan here from The Egg Out West and it is such a pleasure to be here today to chat about one of my most favorite things, vino.  i just returned from a three month adventure down in argentina.  mendoza to be exact.  lots of malbecs were drunk and wine facts that were learned.  while the gorgeous hannah is off frolicking with celebs in sundance, she asked me to share with you a few tips & tricks that i learned while "studying" the art of wine.

Numero Uno:  Wine Tasting is subjective.  Don't let anyone make you feel dumb, ever!  My taste is going to be completely different than your taste and so on.  So if your buddy's most favorite Riesling tastes like urine to you (Riesling does to me), don't be afraid to tell him!  Ask questions and give your input.  Whatever you do, don't act superior, and have fun. Duh.

Number 2:  You know when the waiter pours you a bit of wine to "try" before serving?  Well, you don't actually need to drink it.  One big fat whiff will be able to tell you if the wine is good or bad. After your glass has been poured and before you've taken a sip, see if you can identify 2 smells.  Scent is your most powerful sense and will help in your wine tasting.

Number 3: After you've smelled, take a sip.  Now swirl that glass up!  I was so surprised to see how often the wine experts would swirl their glasses.  Get crazy just keep the wine in the glass. This lets the aromas breathe and really brings out the flavors.  You'll notice that the wine might smell and taste different after you've opened it up, which is a good thing!

Number 4: During this whole process, share with your friends what you smell, taste, and experience.  You might hit on points that they've missed. Where does your mouth feel acidity? How long is the after taste? Read the label and talk!  This all helps you remember the vino you are tasting. If the wine makes you feel like running through a cornfield naked, so be it.  Haters gonna hate!

Number 5: Sometimes, after a good swirlin', people like to show off their legs.  Ow, ow!  I hate to break it to ya, but those legs mean nothing.  The number of legs does not indicate any quality to the wine.  They purely tell you how much alcohol content is in the bottle.  And maybe when it's time to call a cab...