Can you fully taste a wine if you spit it out?

[JimHow]

What is the biology of taste buds?
Are you fully “tasting” a wine if you spit it out?
It seems like the answer is “no” to me.
It seems like I do not encounter the full taste experience when I spit out a wine.

[DavidG]

It’s a "no" for me too, but spitting is a necessary evil when tasting a huge number of wines.

Tasting is strongly influenced by olfactory sensations. It’s way more than just the tastebuds. Try differentiating between a Cab and Pinot, or even orange and grapefruit juice, while holding your nose.

A part of the olfactory experience comes from the retronasal passages. Some say that this aspect is limited when you spit. Others say that it is not a significant difference if you use proper slurping and aerating technique without swallowing.

You also lose the effect of the alcohol when spitting. Or at least reduce and delay its onset since some alcohol will still be absorbed through the lining of the mouth. I’m convinced that alcohol's effect on the brain influences my perception of the wine.

[marcs]

This post is a bad sign for our Maximum Leader’s chances of surviving Bordeaux 2020 without succumbing to alcohol poisoning...

[JimHow]

That was indeed what prompted my inquiry.

I’m supposed to spit Lafite, VCC, Mouton, Palmer...

[stefan]

Yes. Slurp and back breathe. Essentially no difference whether or not you swallow.
At a BWE type function or a tasting one gets plenty of alcohol absorption without swallowing or swallowing only a bit. At 3-4 hour dinners where there is only about a bottle per person I don't spit.

It pains me to see at tastings people pour a great wine and dump half of the glass into a bucket. I spit rather than dump.

[Blanquito]

It pains me to see at tastings people pour a great wine and dump half of the glass into a bucket. I spit rather than dump.

Big amen on that!

We spit in my local tasting group all the time. It's only hard because the level of the wines is so high in that group -- for whatever psychosomatic reasons,I have a harder time spitting top-shelf vino.

[OrlandoRobert]

I’m just a simple Country Lawyer, not a doctor or scientist, but to me there is as much psychology, as there is physiology, to tasting a wine. For me at least, it is just not the same. I do not get the same overall experience, or appreciation of a wine, if I spit. This is one of several reasons why I just do not do mass tasting events, and if I go to wine country, I generally limit myself to 1-2 wineries in a day. I really prefer time with several wines over a larger quantity but less of it.

I will admit to spitting recently at Matinelli. I stopped there only because they had a Tesla charging station and I was close to bone dry on my way to a private tasting at Ovid. The wines ranged from bad to horrid across the board. No way was I gonna swallow these nasty ripe cocktail bombs, a few over 16%, when I was about to enjoy a range of Ovid wines in a tasting session more to my liking. There was no spitting at Ovid. Would have seemed unseemly.

[marcs]

Yes. Slurp and back breathe. Essentially no difference whether or not you swallow.
At a BWE type function or a tasting one gets plenty of alcohol absorption without swallowing or swallowing only a bit. At 3-4 hour dinners where there is only about a bottle per person I don't spit.

It pains me to see at tastings people pour a great wine and dump half of the glass into a bucket. I spit rather than dump.

I dump, shamelessly and often, at wine dinners and functions. I have only one liver and there is only so much alcohol my body can handle in an evening, no matter how long the dinner is. Protecting myself from an unsafe/unhealthy level of drunkenness is always a top priority, and I’m not going to spend alcohol capacity on a wine that is not appealing to me. I do try to take small pours when I’m first trying a wine, but if I decide I don’t like it the rest gets poured out.

[dstgolf]

Nothing drives me crazier than to see people at BWE events or other take a big pour taste and dump. What a waste. Whats wrong with small pour sip taste and if you like take some more. Why deprive others from trying.

Sip and spit works great. Like it then take another sip and swallow or just swallow. At these large tastings like a UGC or BWE trip convention its nice to attempt to try everything but I'm selective as to what I swallow or drink if it's really good. No sense swallowing if you know there are way more than you can safely drink. It's all the art of pacing yourself.

[jal]

Whats wrong with small pour sip taste and if you like take some more. Why deprive others from trying.

That's what I usually do unless there are 15 people getting one small pour each (In that case, Jill and I share a double pour)

And frankly, if I dislike the wine, I will dump my small pour without thinking twice.

I think when swallowing and not spitting, I notice the burn from overripe alcoholic fruit bombs in my throat. Apart from that, I have no trouble spitting.