What does degustation mean?
Degustation refers to the careful, appreciative tasting of food and drink, and in modern usage most often describes a formal tasting menu — a sequence of small, meticulously prepared courses designed to showcase a chef's range or the character of particular wines. The term carries connotations of refinement, expertise, and sensory attention: to engage in degustation is not merely to eat, but to evaluate flavor, texture, and aroma deliberately. It appears chiefly in fine-dining, culinary journalism, and wine-tasting contexts, and is especially common in Australia and Europe on restaurant menus. Derived from the Latin gustare, meaning 'to taste', the word shares its root with 'gusto' and 'gustatory'. For diners, a degustation offers breadth over abundance — many small servings rather than one large dish — making the word useful precisely where ordinary terms like 'dinner' or 'meal' fail to capture the structured, exploratory nature of the experience.
nounThe action or an instance of tasting food or drink carefully and appreciatively; especially a formal, structured tasting of multiple dishes or wines as part of a meal.
- A formal, often multi-course tasting of dishes or wines, typically in fine dining.
"The chef presented a seven-course degustation showcasing the season's finest produce."
"Guests were treated to an elaborate degustation paired with regional wines."
"Her palate was trained through years of careful degustation at wine tastings."
Plural used when referring to multiple tasting events or menus.
"The restaurant offered two distinct degustations, one omnivorous and one vegetarian."
A degustation isn't just dinner — it's a guided tour of a chef's entire imagination, one small plate at a time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of degustation
Degustation comes from the Latin verb gustare, 'to taste', via the frequentative form degustare, 'to taste thoroughly', entering English in the late 16th or early 17th century. It shares its Latin root with 'gusto', 'gustatory', and 'disgust'. The modern association with formal tasting menus developed in continental European gastronomy before spreading widely in English-speaking fine dining.
Related word forms
How degustation is actually used
Formal register, most common in gastronomic and fine-dining contexts, particularly in Australian and European restaurant menus.
Easily confused with degustation
Digestion is the bodily process of breaking down food, while degustation is the deliberate, appreciative tasting of it.