Should I rinse or change my wineglass when pouring a new wine?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
Should I rinse my wineglass (or change glasses entirely) when pouring a new wine from the one I’ve been drinking?
—Spencer, Philadelphia
Dear Spencer,
It depends on the situation—and who’s in charge of washing the dishes! In most circumstances, it’s not necessary to switch out glasses between wines. When you’re attending a walkaround tasting, such as our New York Wine Experience Grand Tasting, you’ll be given a single glass to taste hundreds of wines, and that’s pretty standard. Of course, if I were enjoying a white tablecloth dining experience, I’d expect a new set of glasses for every different bottle of wine I order. If you’re at home, have plenty of glasses to go around and don’t mind washing them afterward, then feel free to change glasses as you change wines—but don’t feel like you have to.
If you’re switching between wines with a single glass, just do your best to pour anything you’re not going to finish into a spit bucket (or into the sink, if you’re at home) and give the glass a shake or two while it’s upside down to release any last drops. I wouldn’t recommend rinsing a glass with water, as any leftover water might dilute the next wine. Also keep in mind that chlorinated tap water (or water with any kind of funky smells or flavors) might affect your enjoyment of the next wine.
That said, if you’re switching between categories—say from white to red wine or from dry to sweet (and especially if you’re going in reverse order, from sweet to dry or red to white)—you can try what’s called “priming” or “seasoning” your wineglass. Priming is also a neat trick if your glasses or decanters smell a bit musty after being stored in a cabinet (this is especially prone to happen if they’ve been kept upside down). If you think the wine you’ve been tasting is flawed, a quick rinse is also a good idea.
Priming is simple. First empty out any leftovers, then either ask for a splash of the new wine to rinse out your glass, or mention that you’d like to prime your glass—the person pouring should understand what you mean. You need just a tiny splash, so don’t worry about “wasting” wine. Swirl the new wine around the wineglass (I’ll even tilt the glass close to 90 degrees and roll the liquid to cover as much of the inside of the glass as I can) and then dump that little bit of rinse out, and voilà! You’re ready for a proper pour.
—Dr. Vinny
