How to get the most out of Vertical Tastings

Wine Tasting at Halter Ranch

Wine tastings are meant to highlight the qualities of wines served. As a wine student or enthusiast, attending these events is an invaluable tool and gauge of progression. So many things can be learnt from considering wines in different light

Sommeliers will take you through each wine, not just to tell you about what the winery can do, but to show you, practically, what the wines are capable of themselves. Thus, wine tastings can be crafted in different ways. Some focus on the wine alone, some on the wine's ability to pair with food, others both.

Of the first, one can sample wine Vertically or Horizontally.

Vertical wine tastings are a gauge of wines from a specific winery focusing on a single brand and sampling progressive vintages of that brand.

Take for example from one of The Paso Robles Wine Club's favorite vineyards Halter Ranch.

At a vertical tasting, we would serve the Silver Range and pour four vintages from 2017 all the way back to 2013. That's four different bottles. Each having been produced in different climates during their specific vintages. Each showing different characters of fruit expression, different complexities and elegance due to bottle ageing.

What comes out of this is; you, the taster can decree for yourself what the vineyard has to offer. How great the individual craftmanship of each wine was at each vintage. If all grapes come from the same vineyard, the future production potential.

Pairing food with vertically placed wines can be completely effective in allowing the wine and food shine. During wine tours with our sister company; 'The Wine Wrangler', you can take advantage of each vineyard and winery visit to experience their wines side by side.

The invaluable way vertical tastings could open your eyes to what wines you might inevitably like or keep as investments developing in the cellar.