Flight (wine)

A flight is a single round of tasting during a wine tasting : Different wines in sample quantities are poured in several glasses next to each other in order to compare them with one another in terms of smell and taste .

It often makes sense to place two glasses next to each other, but three glasses are also common. It is already more difficult to compare from four glasses. However, the length of a flight increases with the number of glasses per person, which opens up better chances of following the development of wines as a result of the temperature profile and through contact with the air : some wines change in the course of a flight. Be it that they gradually come from cool serving temperatures (e.g. white wine ) to room temperature and present themselves with new aromas as the temperature gradually increases , or that their aromas develop and change as a result of increasing contact with air, as is typical z. As for Pinot Noir or Pinot Noir .

The planning and combination of wines for several flights is therefore an interesting activity in the run-up to a wine tasting. When preparing wines of different types for a wine tasting, the following flights are often planned:

1. Welcome champagne / sparkling wine (usually just one or two)
2. dry white wines
3. semi-dry white wines
4. Red wines , also in several flights one after the other
5. noble sweet white wines such as Beerenauslese or Sauternes

If a wine tasting is accompanied by a multi-course menu , it is also important to plan the dishes appropriately for the flights. As a rule, a white wine flight is paired with soup , fish or poultry, a red wine flight or several with red meat or game dishes , and a flight of noble sweet white wines for dessert .