How to Taste Wine

The experience of tasting different wines is one of the many wonderful things in life. Educated tasting is a combination of knowledge, experience, and learning the disciplined use of the three senses involved - sight, smell, and taste.

Ideal Tasting Conditions: Glasses should be completely clean, dry, and polished. Make sure they are washed in hot water only, without detergent that leaves a distinct odor. Glasses should be broader at the base and narrower at the top. This shape aids by guiding the aroma towards the nose.

The best time to taste is before a meal. Try not to perform a tasting after a hearty meal, as your taste buds will be affected by what you have been eating previously. Taste white wines first, then rosés, then reds, then sweet wines. In tasting accurately, only a small amount should be poured into the tasting glass. To fill it more than one-third full makes it difficult to perform some of the following operations.

Appearance: A great deal can be learned about wine by examining it visually. As you do, look for the following points:

Clarity: Is the wine bright and healthy looking or is it hazy or cloudy? If a wine is cloudy, it may be due to disturbed sediment in older wines or it may be the result of refermentation in the bottle - a big problem!
Color and intensity: Hold the glass at an angle against a white background and note the color. This is best seen on the rim of the wine, where aging may first be detected. White wines begin as lemon-green, then straw-yellow, then gold. Red wines begin life as purple, changing with age to red, mahogany, and eventually brown. Color can also be affected by the grape variety and the climate in which the grape is grown. Is the color deep or pale?
Other: When a glass is swirled, little ‘rivulets’ may form on the side of the glass. These are known as "tears" or "legs" and are an indicator of higher alcohol.

The Nose: The smell of a wine is referred to as its "nose." While noting the nose, the wine's various aromas may be released by swirling it in the glass. This also allows the oxygen from the air to mix with the wine and bring it into optimum condition. Note that it is not necessary to swirl a sparkling wine (the bubbles lift the aromas into the glass) and it is not advisable to swirl a spirit (the alcohol becomes too dominant). Sniff gently, but deeply, and check for the following:

Condition: How does the wine smell? Is it pleasing? Are there any unpleasant aromas such as vinegar, rotten eggs or moldy rags?
Intensity: Is its nose weak or full?
Character: The description of the fruitiness can be difficult at first. With practice, however, one will become more skilled and able to recognize certain fruit and/or flower characteristics. Some note characteristics of currant, flowers, cherries, or berries.

The Palate: The taste of wine is known as its "palate." After the wine has had a chance to "breathe," take a small mouthful. Let the wine hit every part of your mouth. Different areas of the mouth taste different flavors. Aside from aromas and flavors, there are some key structural elements to a wine, and these should always be included in the assessment:

Dryness/Sweetness: This will be the first sensation as the wine hits the mouth, as sweetness (i.e., sugar) is detected on the tip of the tongue.
Acidity: Acidity is detectable at the sides of the tongue, which will start to ‘water’ when the acidity is pronounced. Wines lacking acidity are said to be flabby and weak.
Tannin: Important in red wines and white wines that have spent some time in oak. Tannins have a drying sensation on the gums and teeth. An overly tannic wine can make you feel as though you have licked pavement! Tannins can be underripe and green or ripe and more integrated. When noting the tannin level, indicate whether low, medium or high level, but also try to describe the quality: integrated, green, velvety, etc.
Weight/Body: Not unrelated to alcohol, as there is a direct correlation between these two structural elements. Think of the difference between low-fat milk and half & half, and the body, mouthfeel and weight in a wine.
Alcohol: Difficult to detect on the palate, alcohol is often felt through a "weightier body" and mouthfeel. Out of balance, high alcohol is felt as a slight burn in the finish

Use a spittoon to discard the wine after tasting and to allow yourself some time to admire the taste in your mouth. Note the length along the palate as well as its finish.