Basics of Wine Tasting

Many people think you need to be an expert when it comes to wine tasting. That's not true. You just need to trust your own taste. Each time you try a new wine, your awareness of the character and subtle differences will be expanded. It's been said that tasting wine is like a sport: the more you practice, the better you become. Here are some simple steps to better wine tasting.

Look

The first step is to hold the glass by the stem and look through the wine against a white background (if possible) to appreciate the true color. The wine should be bright and clear, not hazy or cloudy. White wines range in color from nearly clear to a golden yellow. Red wines range in color from dark, intense red to light, pale red.

Swirl & Smell

To get the full aroma of the wine, swirl the wine glass to aerate the wine. This releases the aromatics. Take a good first sniff at the wine. Pause, and take a longer second sniff. Do you smell fruit or spices? You might find hints of familiar smells including wood, tobacco, citrus, apple, chocolate, plums, pineapple, flowers or raspberries. While contemplating the smell, look at the wine and notice whether it's thick or thin, bright or mellow, clear or hazy.

Taste

After taking a sip, roll the wine around in your mouth to reach all of your taste buds. Then, breathe air through your lips to release the aromas. If the wine makes you pucker, it may be a little tart (high in acids) or tannic (dry like banana skins and tea leaves). If it feels hot and burns a little, it may have high alcohol content. If none of these elements overwhelm you, the wine is likely well-balanced. Notice how it feels in your mouth: this is called the texture.

Spit

This may make you slightly uncomfortable at first, but if you are tasting several wines during an event it is important to spit. Spitting enables you to experience wines without the danger of imbibing too much alcohol. If you are just trying a few, go ahead and swallow. A wine that lingers in your mouth and throat after you have spit is a sign of good length and body.

Some Things to Remember

· Wine's legs - the "tears" that flow down on wine glass when you swirl - are no indication of quality. It can however imply the full-bodiness of the wine. Fuller-bodied wines generally have slower dripping legs.

· Don't smell the cork. It does not reveal much about the wine... and it is not that pleasant. Focus on the wine itself!