Why You Need to Smell Wine With Your Mouth Open
Whatever you’re smelling, you can enhance your perception by holding your mouth open while sniffing.
Aroma molecules waft up from the glass into your nasal passages, where chemical receptors help you unlock what you’re smelling.
Pineapple! Mango! Or maybe just wine! (That’s fine, we all start somewhere.)
How to Smell Wine With Your Mouth Open
- Pour yourself a glass of wine.
- Take a sniff of your wine like you normally would. Your mouth is probably closed.
- Now take another sniff, but this time smile while you’re sniffing, like you’re reacting to someone who just said something flirty.
- Notice your tongue is pressed against the roof of your mouth while you’re smiling and sniffing.
- Now take one more sniff while smiling, but this time drop your tongue from the roof of your mouth. You’ll feel air coming in through your mouth and nose at the same time. You’re sniffing with your mouth open! Bravo!
- Practice sniffing your wine with your mouth open several more times until you can do it without having to smile (though smiling is okay, too – it’s wine!).
Why Does Smelling Wine With Your Mouth Open Work?
As you sniff with your mouth open, some of the aroma molecules will hit your retronasal passages and you’ll be able to smell more. You’ll be getting a double dose of fruity goodness – from your nose and your mouth.
Thirsty for More?
Check out this 30-second tasting tip to figure out the difference between wine acid vs tannin.
And here’s a great tasting tip to get you tasting wine tannins.
