Tastings: Conditions

Ideal conditions include a strong natural light, ambient temperature between 15 and 18 °C/59–64 °F, and an absence of any extraneous smells. (It is clear therefore that tasting in most cellars, even those of the finest winemakers, is far from ideal.) In practice, a tasting that involves many people inevitably generates its own heat and smell, so it is wise to begin at a lower ambient temperature and not to be too exercised about a whiff of aftershave or polish, which is soon absorbed into the ambient atmosphere.