A New York-based sommelier and wine educator, Sarah Looper, advises against sipping water before or between tastes of wine, as it may alter the true flavors of the wine. Instead, she recommends giving the wine a few tastes, allowing the palate to adapt to the wine’s characteristics.

Retronasal Olfaction

Looper describes a process called retronasal olfaction, where aromas from food or drink travel from the mouth to the nose, affecting how we perceive flavor. She notes that people’s palates vary due to factors such as oral pH and taste sensitivity.

To judge a wine accurately, Looper suggests taking a small sip, letting it coat the palate, and then pausing before taking a second sip to notice how the aromas and flavors develop. She emphasizes that it’s essential to give oneself time to settle before evaluating a wine, rather than relying on water to reset the palate.

Looper’s advice doesn’t mean wine drinkers should avoid staying hydrated, but rather, she prefers to give her palate time to settle before evaluating a wine. On days when she’s tasting wine professionally, Looper has a ritual that includes brushing her teeth, having a black coffee, and then avoiding anything else on her palate except sips of water on her way to the venue.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.