Vertical Tasting: Taking your wine gatherings to the next level
Enjoying a fine bottle of wine is one of the great pleasures of life. Sharing a bottle with friends who truly appreciate a quality wine is especially gratifying. But if you want to really impress your fellow wine snobs, (and I use that term affectionately because I’m proud to be one) then making your next wine gathering a vertical tasting is a wonderful way to go. Sure, it takes a little extra planning and effort, but what a great way to raise the bar and impress your wine-loving friends!
In this article, we’ll discuss some important things to consider when planning a vertical tasting, including some recommendations from Certified Sommelier and President of Meritage Wine Market Dustin Cano, who specializes in events such as these for a living.
What is a Vertical Tasting?
A vertical tasting is essentially a wine tasting event where multiple vintages (3 bottles at a minimum) of the same wine from the same producer are sampled. You could serve 4 to 6 vintages but that can be a lot to manage. This method of tasting, and hosting, is a great way to explore the evolution of a wine as it ages. Whether you taste the wine from youngest to oldest, or oldest to youngest is a matter of personal preference. However, Dustin recommends starting with the oldest vintage. He said, “Sometimes the power of a younger wine can overwhelm the older vintage.” He noted that this can be especially true if there is a wide gap between vintages, such as 5 to 10 years. However, if the vintages are consecutive years, such as 2017, 2018 and 2019, then it’s perfectly OK, in fact recommended, to taste the wines from youngest to oldest since the variation will likely be more subtle.
Dustin also had some great advice on some simple guidelines for your guests. He mentioned that 99% of people at a vertical tasting seek to find the vintage or wine they like the best as opposed to appreciating each vintage for what it provides. Make an effort to remind your guests to appreciate each and every vintage. Another common oversight, (especially among less experienced wine snobs), is not spending nearly enough time on aroma and bouquet, otherwise referred to as ‘the nose.’ My preferred method is to smell and swirl each wine, then go back and do it all one more time before tasting any of them. Dustin agreed with that method, so I’m proud to say I scored a point with the expert!
Tasting should follow the same pattern. Taste each wine in order, then go back and taste them all again after you’ve spent ample time on the nose.
Never finish one vintage before you’ve tasted the next, no matter how strong the temptation!
Always leave enough in the glass to re-visit each vintage at least twice.
Vertical Tasting Options
Perfect Vertical
A perfect vertical tasting selection starts with a wine that has both pedigree and aging potential—think a renowned Bordeaux estate, a cult Napa Valley Cabernet, or a Burgundy Grand Cru. Choose at least three to six vintages that span a range of years.
Perfect Selection
If you don’t have a perfect vertical in your own library, the second-best option is to contact a winery you love or have visited. Typically, these wineries will hold back library wines specifically for these types of events. They’ll package up a 3 or 4 bottle set from some of their best vintages. You can’t go wrong by allowing the winemaker to select the best vintages from their own collection.
Perfectly Blind
The third option is to select the wines blindly. Ask your favorite wine retailer what they would suggest. They love doing that sort of thing. Most look forward to an opportunity to share their wine knowledge with you, so you’ll probably make their day. You may also have some fun with the entire process and perhaps even learn a few things along the way.
Before you buy, I’d recommend doing a little research. With the rapid advancement of AI, Chat GPT is a quick and easy way to obtain information about any given wine. Another more human-oriented resource is CellarTracker.com. You’ll find evaluations from non-paid critics so you’re sure to get some honest opinions, especially if you’re selecting older vintages. It would be unfortunate to serve a wine that was past its prime. These resources could help you avoid potential disappointment!
The time of year or the occasion may also affect which wine you select. For example, if your tasting is around the 4th of July, you may want to consider an American wine. Conversely, if your tasting falls around Bastille Day, a French wine may be in order. Here’s one final thing to keep in mind. When selecting your wines it’s important to consider how weather conditions have affected each vintage. Weather is always a factor, but it’s especially relevant if you are selecting a French wine. In France, many growers are still required to dry farm (not irrigate), so climate conditions can affect their flavor profiles in a more pronounced way. Chances are you’ll have far more variations in French wine vintages. Experiencing all the various nuances between vintages can be a lot of fun as well as educational!
Suggested Wines for Tastings
I asked Dustin, “What’s the best vertical tasting you’ve ever attended?” He mentioned that it’s always best to do tastings in the morning, before your palate has been subjected to all the things you may have consumed throughout the day.
His favorite tasting was an 11am vertical of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (often abbreviated to DRC) with prices ranging from $1,500 to $25,000 per bottle. Boy, does he have a great job!
Assuming that most of us cannot lay out that kind of dough and/or start drinking that early in the morning. Here are some alternative options at various price ranges:
Price level:
Under $100 per bottle: Geyserville Zinfandel
2012: A well-aged example with deeper complexity, showcasing earthy aromas.
2016: Beginning to show some secondary notes like leather and dried herbs.
2019: A young, fruit-forward example with vibrant blackberry and spice.
Price level:
$100-$200 per bottle: Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
2010: A beautifully aged example with deep umami, and truffle notes
2015: Starting to develop savory elements like leather, dried flowers, and earth
2019: Powerful and fruit-forward, with dark berries and Provençal herbs
Price level:
$200-$300 per bottle: Château Pichon Baron (Pauillac, Bordeaux)
2000: Fully mature, with developed earth, leather, cedar, and dried fruit notes.
2010: A perfect mid-point, showing refined tannins, cassis, and hints of tobacco.
2018: Youthful, powerful, and packed with blackcurrant, graphite, and spice.
Tasting order and notes: Provide a structured tasting sheet for your guests so
they can note aroma (Remember to take your time on the nose), flavor, acidity, tannins, and evolution of each wine. Encourage discussion about differences between vintage, weather conditions, aging potential, etc. This may seem like a lot of work but trust me, by doing your homework and going through this process, you’ll enjoy being the smartest person in the room.
Preparations for Tastings
Once you’ve done the hard part, selecting the wine and the vintages, don’t forget the fundamentals!
- Wine Preparation
- Glassware and Pouring
- Food Pairing and Palate Cleansers
- Fragrances and Lighting
- Wine preparation: If you are serving older wines you may want to decant them to make sure none of your guests gag on sediment! Regardless of whether you choose to decant or not, be sure to open all bottles 30 to 60 minutes prior to your event. A little air will help them ‘open up’ so by the time you’re tasting the flavors and aromas are peaking. Also, make sure each wine is at the same temperature. Ideally, 60-65F for reds and 50-55F for whites.
- Glassware and pouring: Use clean identical glassware to keep the tasting consistent. Pour in order from oldest to youngest, or vice versa for a different perspective and pour them all at the same time. Keep your pours small to allow for re- visiting. Do the math! 750ml bottles contain just over 25.36 ounces each. If you are hosting 12 guests that’s just over 2 ounces per person per bottle. If that’s the case you may want to pour just 1.5 ounces per taste the first time around in order to allow for a final re-visit. Also, it’s a good idea to use a marker to indicate the vintage on each glass to avoid any mix ups.
- Food Pairing & Palate Cleansing: There are two schools of thought on this topic. Some say that at a minimum, you should offer some type of neutral palate cleansers like bread or water crackers. If you do, go with something like plain water crackers and not those with cracked pepper or other spices. You don’t want to overpower anyone’s palate. Consider mild cheeses or charcuterie that complement rather than overpower the wine. Dustin’s preference is not to have any palate cleansing foods at all during the tasting. He believes that any food between tastes can confuse your palate. His choice is to serve food after the tasting is complete.
- Other considerations: Experienced wine tasters already know this, but you may want to remind folks not to wear any heavy perfumes or colognes. A Napa cab should not smell like Chanel No.5
- Make sure there is good light in the room and some sort of white paper or napkin to help each taster evaluate color and clarity.
All this wine talk is making me thirsty. Time to get together with good friends and enjoy some great bottles of wine, responsibly of course! ~ Scott
Check for my other articles on horizontal tastings and other wine related topics
