Horizontal Tasting
Definition - What does Horizontal Tasting mean?
A horizontal tasting is when you taste wines from different producers but made in the same year (vintage). Horizontal tastings are typically set up with criteria denoting the wine styles, region and varietals of the selections to be tasted, and horizontal tastings are meant to highlight the differences in winemaking styles from different producers and to help the taster develop their palate and expand their wine knowledge.
WineFrog explains Horizontal Tasting
Horizontal tastings allow tasters to identify specific differences in winemaking styles by limiting the tasting to wines made from the same year. When additional criteria are added, such as varietal, region or style so tasters can learn to identify characteristics specific to the varietal, the region and the style. When you are tasting horizontal wines from different producers you can learn how to differentiate signature styles from different wineries.
