There's a time and place to spit. There's even a correct way to spit. Sounds weird, I know, but it comes with the industry territory. Let's review so there's no embarrassment at your next tasting event.

Let's get something clear. Spitting, while thought of as a crude act, in a tasting room becomes part of the ambiance. There's a time and place when spitting after tasting is an absolute must! If you are intending to visit numerous wineries in a day, spitting becomes a necessity if you want to last the day. Even professional tasters feel a bit inebriated after tasting a hundred wines AND spitting! When tasting wine, you're absorbing alcohol through the nose and in the mouth. Over time and even after spitting, absorbing that much alcohol will have an effect.

At the winery, spittoons are provided typically as metallic drums or boxes with saw dust, or even a large bowl. Etiquette is observed to the person in front of these canisters. NEVER should you try and spit across another person. Also, etiquette holds true to ceasing all conversation to a person with a mouthful of wine in their mouth. Let them analyze the wine and focus on it before engaging them in conversation. At sit-down tasting events, you will always have your own spit canister, sometimes it poses as an ice bucket or a small receptacle.

Spitting wine, to some, is an art form and should be practiced. Believe it or not, there are proper spitting techniques that should be practiced at home, ideally in front of a mirror so you can watch yourself during this process. When you finish tasting the wine, spit in a single jet stream line in the spittoon through pursed lips. Don't dribble the wine out of your mouth, or worse, off your chin. If you do, wipe your face after spitting - keep practicing. Don't think gravity will help you here. When you're finished spitting, there should be no drips on the floor or countertop - nothing to clean up at all! Some claim that you can spot a professional wine taster based on how they spit. Practice makes perfect, is the idea that most definitely applies here.