The Art of Wine, by Nicole Buchanan

On Friday, we were fortunate enough to have dinner, and a wine tasting at a small family owned winery called Areni. I was excited about the wine tasting, as I had never been to one before. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a lot more to wine then it just being a craft, it is a form of art. The man guiding us talked us through the etiquette of drinking wine by telling us to look at the color, to notice the smell, to twirl the glass to let the wine breathe, to hold the wine in your mouth until it became the same temperature as your mouth, and then swallow. These steps were essential to him, and it became evident how much he cared for and respected his winemaking when he began talking about serving wine to others. You should always know something about the wine you are serving, this to me was showing respect to the winemaker. The wine should always be checked first before serving and then poured, but the first glass should be yours. This was to ensure your guests would not receive anything that settled at the top. Therefore, the host was showing respect to their guests. Finally, you should tell those that you are serving wine to that you love this wine, so that your guests feel welcomed and appreciated because this is a wine you want to share with them. The whole experience was wonderful and filled with various symbolisms of respect, love, and dedication to one's art.