Mindfulness can be engaged in almost all activities when you think about it. Whether you enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine, you can apply the principles of mindfulness and being present in the moment.
In fact, there is no right or wrong way to enjoy wine. You don’t even have to be a wine connoisseur. Each person’s tastebuds are as unique as they are. What one person likes, may not necessarily be what someone else does.
Enjoy a relaxing glass of your favourite wine – mindfully – your way.
The basics of mindful wine tasting:
Sight
- Is the wine clear or dull?
- What colour is it
- Is the colour the same throughout?
- Are there different shades (e.g. the tinge on edge and deep colour in centre)
Smell
- Is the aroma strong or weak?
- Close your eyes, what can you smell? (spice, flowers, fruit, wood, tobacco, vegetables, or something else)
There are no wrong answers, the smell is unique to your own experience
Taste
- Sip the wine and hold it in your mouth
- Roll it around, take in some air to get as much flavour as possible
- Acidity tastes on the side of your tongue
- Bitterness tastes at the back of the tongue
- Sweet tastes at the tip of your tongue
- Compare flavour to aromatic smell
Reflect
- Swallow or spit into a spittoon and savour what you are left with
- Does your mouth feel clean and refreshed ready for another sip
- Are there lingering flavours you want to keep enjoying
Decide
- What is the type of wine you prefer?
- Only you are the expert on your tastes.
So, next time you settle back and relax, remember it is about enjoying the moment with all of your senses mindfully.