I started drinking wine with my mom. She loves Chardonnay, as many moms do. I liked the cold, crispness of Chardonnay. I didn’t drink a lot of soda, juices or sugary drinks. In fact, I’ve never really liked anything overly sweet. So the first time I sipped Moscato with my sorority sisters, I nearly gagged. I just didn’t have the palate for it. Mike’s first foray into wine happened when we started dating. I was freshly back from a summer of living abroad in Spain and took every opportunity to flaunt my new knowledge of deep, spicy Tempranillo and Riojas. Similarly, if your first encounter with wine was mixing pink lemonade with Prosecco for college pool parties, or if you always reach for a dessert after dinner (like my grandpa!!) then you’re likely more open to a sweeter wine than my tastes. 

Taste is a lot of trial and error, and a lot of opening yourself up to new things. 

Write down what you like and don’t like. 

I like bold reds. Why? I like the complexity of a heavy wine. I don’t drink it as fast, which I like, I like romanticizing wine in my glass a bit. I like dry wines because I can’t finish things that are too sweet. For the same reasons, I don’t usually like Rieslings or Moscato. However, I talked to several winemakers and bartenders about WHY I don’t like Riesling and through trial and error, I found several that I really like. They aren’t too sweet, have more herbal notes than floral, and hit all the things I like. 

Make a list of what you like and what you don’t like, then walk away, pour yourself a glass, come back and dive one deeper. Why do you or don’t you like that? Congrats, you’ve just discovered your palate! Keep your notes handy and you’ll be able to discover a hole host of wines that you never thought to try.

Go to a wine tasting.

Wineries are popping up all over the country! This gives you a chance to learn about what’s grown locally or plan a trip to a wine region. There’s two different ways wineries do tastings: a sampling of different wines (usually sweet to dry, white to red) or a tasting of the same grape, just different vintages (aka production years) or different vineyards. One of my most eye-opening experiences was my first pinot noir tasting because by drinking 6 different pinots side by side, I learned how broad a single wine is. They all tasted differently! I recommend trying a wide variety wine tasting first, but if you’re the type of person who has pretty much only drank Cabs for the last five years… go ahead, do a cab-only tasting and watch your palate expand.

Join a wine club.

By now, I think you’ve seen trial and error is the process. And by trial, I really mean you gotta try a lot of wines. The best way to do that is via a wine club. I don’t personally recommend the big mass-promoted wine clubs because they are often bottom of the barrel (Two Buck Chuck, anyone?) from big producers. I will always advocate for small producers and local businesses. You can often find really affordable wines that rival $50+ bottles from big producers. 

If you go to a wine tasting at a winery, chances are you’ll be pushed to join their wine club. You’ll get free wine tastings and a discount off their bottle price, and usually member-only events. I’ve joined a club (or 5 🤦🏻‍♀️) when I’ve been a bit tipsy and I’ve cancelled my fair share too. It is ok to say no at a wine tasting!

Try and try again. 

I have kept a note on my phone for years that outlines my favorite wines and why I like them. My notes have gotten more complex the more I’ve learned – in the beginning I said “I love west Texas Tempranillo because it reminds me of Spain” and now my notes are specific to include different vintages (years) I like of Oregon pinot noir.