| There are three aspects to tasting a good glass | | | | of cork, vinegar, sulfur dioxide or other chemicals |
| of wine and savoring its every subtle flavor: | | | | that have affected the wine. (Since wine is |
| Color | | | | composed of over 200 different chemical |
| Tilt the glass against a white background - maybe | | | | components that are similar to those found in |
| a napkin held against the glass. Take note of the | | | | fruits, vegetables and herbs, it's probably not |
| clarity of the wine. If it's hazy, you're usually not | | | | surprising that the metaphorical language used in |
| onto a good thing. | | | | regard to wines involves allusions to fruits and |
| White wines range from a watery yellow to | | | | spices etc.) |
| amber in color. A pale yellow will indicate a young | | | | Flavor |
| wine, probably dry. The sweeter the wine, the | | | | After that, all you have to do is taste the wine! |
| darker the shade. However, age also adds a | | | | You can perceive a combination of four tastes: |
| depth to the shade, so don't be deceived. | | | | Sweetness at the tip of your tongue, acidity at |
| Color is a dead give-away to the age of red wine | | | | the sides, saltiness at the centre and bitterness at |
| as well. When a wine ages, it loses its ruby red | | | | the back. A balanced taste is that which has a |
| colour and develops a brick red, almost orange, | | | | good blend of all the ingredients -- alcohol, sugar, |
| tinge. Indeed, the darker the shade, the more | | | | tannin etc. Some wines, for example, will have a |
| full-bodied the wine. | | | | greater amount of tannin, a natural preservative |
| Take care to avoid viewing the wine in | | | | found in the skin of red grapes. It's a little bitter, |
| fluorescent light; daylight is best. Wines tend to | | | | but it helps the wine mature. Others have a |
| look darker in artificial light. | | | | pronounced acidity, while still others that have |
| Bouquet | | | | been fermented or matured in oak barrels have a |
| The bouquet is also called the nose of the wine. | | | | distinct taste about them -- something like a spicy |
| When you nose a wine, you use your sense of | | | | cinnamon flavor. In some vineyards over the |
| smell - so vital to tasting. | | | | world, a friendly fungus called Botrytis, which |
| Hold the glass by its base or stem and swirl the | | | | intensifies the sugar in the wine, is responsible for |
| wine around to let it give off its aromas. Then | | | | its unique, delightful taste. |
| take a short concentrated sniff. With practice, | | | | And once you've learned to nose a wine and |
| you will be able to tell the difference between the | | | | study it by its color and taste, you're ready to |
| clean fruity flavor of a fresh wine and the smell | | | | experiment! |