wine tasting
C1Formal, Technical, Social
Definition
Meaning
An event or activity where people sample and evaluate different wines.
The process of assessing a wine's appearance, aroma, flavour, and finish, often professionally, to judge its quality, characteristics, and potential pairing with food.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can refer to both a structured professional assessment and a social or leisure event. The hyphenated form 'wine-tasting' is also common, especially as an adjective.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. British English may be slightly more likely to hyphenate ('wine-tasting') as a compound adjective. Spelling: 'tasting' is standard.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties, often associated with sophistication, education, tourism, and the food & beverage industry.
Frequency
Similar moderate frequency in both regions, with higher occurrence in wine-producing regions (e.g., California, France, Italy) and in upscale lifestyle contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] attended a wine tasting.[subject] hosted a wine tasting at [location].[subject] organised a wine tasting for [group].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the nose (wine tasting term)”
- “legs of the wine”
- “cheeky glass”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A corporate hospitality event or a key activity for wine merchants and importers.
Academic
A practical component of oenology or gastronomy courses.
Everyday
A social outing or holiday activity, often at a vineyard.
Technical
A structured sensory analysis by sommeliers, winemakers, or critics to score and describe wines.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They spent the afternoon wine tasting in Sussex.
- She is wine tasting professionally now.
American English
- We'll be wine tasting in Napa Valley next week.
- He started wine tasting as a hobby.
adverb
British English
- They travelled wine-tasting across France.
American English
- They went wine tasting in Oregon.
adjective
British English
- We joined a wine-tasting tour of the Loire Valley.
- She took detailed wine tasting notes.
American English
- He bought a wine tasting kit online.
- The hotel offered a wine tasting package.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We went to a wine tasting. It was fun.
- The wine tasting was at a big hotel.
- I learned a lot about different grapes at the wine tasting.
- The wine tasting included four white wines and four reds.
- As part of the course, students participated in a blind wine tasting to hone their palates.
- The sommelier led the wine tasting, explaining the terroir of each region.
- The annual trade wine tasting showcased over two hundred boutique wineries from the Pacific Northwest.
- His critique during the structured wine tasting revealed subtle notes of blackcurrant and tobacco.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a LINE of people TASTING WINE. 'Wine tasting' is the activity.
Conceptual Metaphor
EVALUATION IS TASTING (extending to judgement and discernment).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation into 'винная вкусовка' – use 'дегустация вин'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'wine tasting' (event/activity) with 'tasting wine' (action). Incorrect: 'We went for a tasting wine.' Correct: 'We went for a wine tasting.'
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a professional wine tasting?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as two words ('wine tasting'). The hyphenated form ('wine-tasting') is also correct, especially when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., 'a wine-tasting event').
Wine tasting involves a deliberate, analytical process of observing, smelling, and tasting to evaluate qualities like aroma, flavour, body, and finish. Simply drinking wine focuses on consumption and enjoyment without formal analysis.
No, most public wine tastings are designed for all levels, from beginners to experts. Guides usually explain what to look for, making it an educational experience.
In a blind tasting, the taster does not know the identity of the wine (producer, region, vintage) before evaluating it. This prevents bias and focuses purely on sensory perception.