# Six rules for tasting a Chenin Blanc without a sommelier nearby

*By Nick · May 7, 2026*
*Last updated May 14, 2026*

> Practical guidance for the home table. No spit cups required.

![Dinner table with Cessy wines](https://onctmkioslxnmjkojsbn.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/media/Cessy_Wine_Photos_A40A7573.jpg)

Tasting wine alone at home doesn't have to feel like a test. Here are six rules we use ourselves when we're opening a bottle just to see what it's doing.

**Key Takeaways**

- Pour a small first taste — half the glass at most.
- Smell before you sip. Twice. Note what shifts between the two.
- Hold it on the tongue for three seconds before swallowing.
- Wait five minutes. Then taste again. Most wines change in that window.

The biggest mistake is rushing. A wine you've poured at 56°F will taste different at 62°F. Let it open up before you decide what you think.
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_Cessy is a small-batch West Coast white wine project. [Subscribe to the Journal](https://cessywines.com/blog) for new posts._