How to Gurgle Your Mouth, Smack Your Lips, and Roll Your Eyes When Tasting Wine?

Welcome to the grand theater of wine tasting — that subtle ballet of gurgles, smacks, and knowing nods that turns a sip into a spectacle! You’ve seen them: the people who don’t just taste wine but perform it. They swirl, sniff, inhale dramatically, then let out a faint, reverent hum as if they’re communing with ancient gods trapped in the bottle. You watch them and think, should I be making that noise too?

Let’s be honest. Ninety percent of wine-tasting theatrics are bluff and ritual — like monks chanting in a language no one actually understands anymore. But if you ever find yourself surrounded by the faithful — sommeliers, collectors, or that one friend who suddenly talks in adjectives like “unctuous” and “expressive mid-palate” — you’ll want to play along just enough to survive without losing your dignity.

So, here’s how to fake it without becoming one of them.

First, the gurgle. You’ve probably seen someone draw air through a mouthful of wine, producing a wet, bubbling sound like a fish trying to drown. It looks ridiculous, but there’s logic to it: aeration. Bringing air into the wine helps release aromas and flavors, basically turning your mouth into a mini decanter. The trick is subtlety. A light slurp will do — you don’t need to gargle it like mouthwash. Just let a whisper of air slip through your teeth as the wine rests on your tongue. If you sound like you’re choking on spaghetti, you’ve gone too far.

Next comes the lip smack. After you swallow (or politely spit, if you’re at one of those professional tastings where everyone pretends not to drink), you let your lips part slightly and smack them once or twice, as if tasting the memory of the wine. This, allegedly, helps you “evaluate the finish.” In truth, it mostly signals to others that you’re deep in thought, wrestling with something profound like, is that plum or just marketing?

And then — the eye roll. This is your Oscar moment. When you hit a wine you actually like, or at least think you should like, close your eyes halfway, tilt your head, and exhale softly. Let your expression say, ah, yes, now we’re entering the emotional territory of the Rhône Valley. If you can produce a faint hum — something between a sigh and a purr — you’ve mastered the art.

But here’s the secret: real experts don’t perform. They don’t need to. The quiet ones swirling gently in the corner, eyes steady, glass low — those are the ones actually tasting. They’re not putting on a show, they’re paying attention.

So, by all means, gurgle if it helps. Smack if you must. Roll your eyes toward heaven if the wine demands it. But don’t confuse drama for understanding. Wine doesn’t need noise to speak — it just needs a little silence and someone who’s willing to listen.

And if anyone looks at you funny for not performing? Just smile (mysteriously and a little melancholically), take another sip, direct your gaze into eternity and whisper quietly and wistfully: “I prefer to let the wine do the talking. Just look at me - I'm the wine.”