Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser

Q.  Can you please offer some advice about how to approach the wines at big wine tasting events? It seems challenging, some would suggest impossible, to give the wines due consideration in such a setting.
A. You ask an excellent question. With Taste Washington being held in Seattle April 5-6 and a host of other major events coming this spring, I imagine a lot of consumers are wondering how to organize their time.
Typically there are hundreds of wines being poured. Even professional tasters, who spit carefully, have palate fatigue after 25 or 30 wines. Consumers with less experience and less willingness to spit will need to do some advance planning in order to maximize the value that these tastings offer. Remember, it’s not about the number of wines you taste. What is important is tasting the right wines, paying attention, and building your personal wine database.
You need to have a plan. Take a few minutes to think about your personal goals. What grapes interest you? What vineyards? What types of wine? Do you want to explore new wineries or new varietals? Or maybe taste every syrah you can find?
Study the program for a minute or two, and think about how you can take away some solid information to build your own knowledge. Focus on at least a dozen, maybe 15 or 20 wines that fit the topic you have chosen. After that, if you still have the energy, explore at random and have a good time — spitting carefully of course.