Have you heard of ‘seasoning’ your wine glass? This little ritual could actually make a big difference to your quaffing experience, according to wine experts.

And while it can seem that there is a lot of pomp and circumstance around wine drinking, seasoning your glass is a lot more practical than, say, letting your decanted grenache breathe for 30 minutes before sipping (honestly, who has the time when the witching hour rolls around?).

Seasoning your glass has nothing to do with salt and pepper shakers, rather it refers to the act of splashing a little bit of wine into your glass, rolling it around to coat the interior, then dumping it out. Think of it as a sacrifice to the wine gods.

By coating your glass in a small amount of wine, you’re eliminating any musty smells or dust that may have accumulated between drinks as well as any detergent residue.

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By making this one small ritual part of your wine drinking experience, you remove any unpleasant additions that could otherwise taint your chardy. Because no one wants to smell Finish Rise & Shine from the dishwasher or swill a mouthful of dust bunnies at wine time.

You’ve probably stuffed your nose into a glass of vino to capture all of those subtle aromas, particularly if you’ve spent a pretty penny on a bottle. By seasoning your glass you can make every sip count with no gatecrashers at the plonk party.

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