| Wine tasting is an art and a science that will | | | | wines are oak, leather, berries, and cherries. White |
| heighten your enjoyment of wine while giving you | | | | wine aromas can include grass, flowers, hay and |
| an appreciation of different types of wines and | | | | citrus. Secondary aromas are created during wine |
| how they're made. Let's examine the basics. | | | | making, and can include an oak smell which comes |
| Appearance - First, check the color of the wine. | | | | from being in a wine barrel. |
| Some red wines are described as ruby, garnet, | | | | Taste - Finally, what we've been waiting for! Take |
| purple, maroon or even brownish. It's helpful to | | | | a small sip, maybe half a mouthful, and let the |
| have a white background, like a piece of paper | | | | wine roll around your mouth, sliding it back and |
| held behind the glass. Tilt the glass and examine | | | | forth across your tongue. Some tasters even |
| the color from the outer edges into the middle of | | | | "chew" their wine to aerate it and get a better |
| the glass. White wines can be straw colored, | | | | sense of the taste. What are your first |
| golden, or light green. Can you see sediment in | | | | impressions? Try to notice as many things as you |
| the wine? Is the wine brilliant or cloudy? Cloudy | | | | can. Is it acidic or sweet? If you're tasting a red, |
| wine is usually unacceptable unless the wine is | | | | is it full of tannins? That's the astringent part that |
| purposely unfiltered. | | | | will make your mouth feel a little dry. Is it full |
| Smell - Smell is a critical component in wine | | | | bodied, silky and smooth or light and almost |
| tasting. It's important to get a good sense of | | | | watery in consistency? Don't forget to consider |
| what smells are produced by swirling the wine in | | | | the finish. This is the taste that lingers in your |
| your glass to aerate it and release the aromas. | | | | mouth after you've spit or swallowed the wine. |
| Now stick your nose above the rim and take a | | | | Generally speaking, the longer the finish the better |
| whiff. What are your first impressions? The | | | | the quality of wine. |
| primary aroma should be coming from the grape | | | | Wine tasting is an important part of enjoying wine. |
| itself. Next, stick your nose down deep into the | | | | The more you do it the better you'll become. |
| glass and inhale deeply. Close your eyes and | | | | Practice makes perfect. Let your judgment be |
| concentrate, and don't be too upset at first if this | | | | your guide, and enjoy wines that you like. There's |
| phase of wine tasting escapes you. With practice | | | | something out there for everyone, so get started |
| you will get better. Some common smells in red | | | | tasting today! |