Note: I smile in recalling that this subject first appeared as a question in the Discussion Forum. Since then, I have had so many requests to expand on the subject that it seems most appropriate to post it here, this time for posterity.

The question of spitting at wine tastings is one that haunts both professionals and amateurs. Let's start off with one given - spitting is never and can never be elegant but if you are going to be tasting more wine than you would normally drink, it is a way of maintaining one's sanity, sobriety and dignity. For professionals who sometimes taste 40, 50 or even 100 wines at a sitting, it is also a way of assuring that their livers, kidneys and brains will continue to function in some sense of normalcy until they reach a ripe old age. There are several ways in which you can maintain if not elegance, at least a sense of dignity while spitting:

1. Those just learning to spit will do well to practice at home before trying it in public. Perhaps the
best way to do this is to use wine glasses filled first with water, then with white wine and only then with red wine. In this way you can become comfortable with the idea, learn how to spit without dribbling on your clothing and how to spit with just the right amount of force to clear the lips and chin but without so much force that the liquid will spatter back at you.

2. Despite a great many jokes, there is no saving grace whatsoever in being able to spit long
distances, even if one does it with great accuracy. That kind of behavior is simply vulgar and is in place primarily with freshmen and sophomores in college fraternity or sorority houses or in old Western movies for those heroes or villains who spit tobacco juice.

3. It is safe to generalize that there are three kinds of spitting vessels - large buckets (sometimes
Champagne buckets) that are shared by 3, 4 or even 5 people; smaller vessels, often made of clay, that are shared by 2 or 3 people; and individual spitting buckets, generally of stainless steel and plastic. When using shared buckets, never linger too long over the bucket because this will prevent others from reaching it when they need it. Also with large buckets be careful not to spit with too much force for these tend to splatter rather badly. With individual buckets, many (including myself) prefer to move them fairly close to (but not in contact with) the lips in order to allow for discrete spitting.

3a. Some spitting buckets come to the table with sawdust or wood shavings in the bottom. This is done in order to avoiding the liquid splashing out. Of course as the bucket fills, those shavings are of little help.

3b. If you are going to a tasting and are not sure that spittoons will be provided, bring your own. Many wine accessory shops sell small, attractively designed personal spittoons and these are a good investment. If during the tasting your small spittoon becomes too full, simply go to the kitchen or the washroom there to clean and refresh it.

4. Be sure to have either a handkerchief or paper napkins on hand for dabbing the lips and when
necessary to gently dab off the few drops that may make their way to the chin. My own habit is to take at least two perfectly clean handkerchiefs with me to tastings.

5. If you spitting vessel becomes too full, either from spitting or from rinsing glasses in between
tastings, ask that it be refreshed or that a new one be brought to you. Your request will be seen as a sign of intelligent behavior.

6. If you encounter a situation where reaching the spitting bucket is difficult, spit gently into the
water glass that has been provided for you and from time to time simply dump that into the larger bucket.

7. Keep in mind that no-one is a "perfect spitter" and a bit of dribbling happens to everyone from
time to time. When this does happen, or if you happen to drop a bit of wine on your clothing, do not make a public issue of it. With white wine simply dab it dry with a clean handkerchief or napkin; with red, simply sprinkle the stain with salt and rub the salt it in gently as that will probably allow the stain to come out easily in the next laundry. There is no need to apologize or to declare aloud how clumsy you are. The probability is that no one noticed anyhow and if they did they really don't care for they know full well it happens to them as well. No matter how proficient you may become at spitting, be sure to always have at least two clean handkerchiefs ready at hand for use when needed.

8. If there is television crew nearby, let them photograph you while spitting only if you have a
passion for making a fool of yourself in public. Believe me, you will not enjoy seeing yourself that way. If the crew insists on photographing, simply turn your back on the camera as you spit.

There is probably no professional who has not encountered questions dealing with what happens when the wines we are tasting are "so great that it is a sin to spit them". Quite recently, for example, I attended a tasting of the wines of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti in which all but two of the wines received scores of 95 or higher! Simple enough - if tasting more than four or five wines you do spit regardless of the quality of the wine. As you do that you pray to whatever God or gods you may believe in that there will be at least some of the one you enjoyed the best left over at the end of the tasting. With that glass in hand you sit back and drink comfortably. In my case, it was a 1995 La Tache that remained. I had no complaints whatever.

© Daniel Rogov