A simple wine tasting for two at home

Your 20-minute plan

Your 20-minute plan
Time	Together	Write down
0–5 minutes	Choose a question, label the samples and set up.	The bottle identities or fictional scenario.
5–10 minutes	Notice aromas and texture independently.	One aroma and one sensation for each sample.
10–15 minutes	Compare notes and revisit the samples if you want.	The clearest difference and any uncertainty.
15–20 minutes	Choose a preference and put leftovers away.	What you would choose again and one next question.

0–5 minutes

Together: Choose a question, label the samples and set up.
Write down: The bottle identities or fictional scenario.

5–10 minutes

Together: Notice aromas and texture independently.
Write down: One aroma and one sensation for each sample.

10–15 minutes

Together: Compare notes and revisit the samples if you want.
Write down: The clearest difference and any uncertainty.

15–20 minutes

Together: Choose a preference and put leftovers away.
Write down: What you would choose again and one next question.

Choose one question and two examples

For a lighter-versus-fuller comparison, consider Pinot Noir and Syrah. Ask a retailer for contrasting styles at a price you are comfortable with, and check the actual bottle descriptions. Grape names give you a starting point, not a guarantee.

You can also compare two existing notes or use these fictional wines: A smells of red cherry, feels light and has little drying grip. B smells of dark plum, feels fuller and leaves a more noticeable grip. The exercise works without buying or opening anything.

Set up in five minutes

Use two clean glasses per person if available, so both samples can be compared side by side. With fewer glasses, taste one sample at a time and rinse as needed. Label the wines A and B, put water nearby and keep food simple until after your first comparison.

For adults who choose to taste wine, a small tasting pour of about 30 ml / 1 fl oz per wine is enough to begin. You can spit or leave the rest. The schedule is optional, and there is no reason to finish the bottles. Plan how to preserve leftovers before you open them.

Compare before discussing

Give each person a minute to write independently. Start with an aroma, then ask which wine feels fuller and which leaves more grip. Share the notes after writing so one person's words do not decide the other's description.

Different impressions are useful. Ask what the other person means by a word rather than deciding who is correct. A preference can differ even when you agree about the sensations.

Keep a note that makes next time easier

Record each wine, the most obvious difference and which you would choose again. Add the meal or setting if it affected your choice. If you used fictional examples, label the note accordingly.

Choose one follow-up question, such as whether a similar wine from another region feels different. Our free course helps you build this habit, and the tasting-kit guide is available if you later want reusable materials.