Wine Tasting is the act of sampling wines, for flavors, aromas and general characteristics. Though many regions where wine is grown throughout the world have establishments where one can taste wine, a growing number of people have begun to host wine-tasting parties in their own homes.

One very common error for first-time wine tasters is drinking the wine instead of spitting it out. The practice of spitting it out is known as expectoration. Although drinking is what wine is made for, drinking too much of it is inevitable when there are several glasses, which can quickly inebriate the taster, thus dulling the senses and defeating the purpose of wine tasting. For those looking for a mild level of intoxication, tasting is enough: after several glasses, some wine is absorbed through the tongue and a bit inevitably slips down the throat, creating a small inebriating effect.