What is tasting? Tasting is not drinking. Although wine is made to drink and enjoy, there are also times when it has to be judged and assessed. Mastering the art of tasting is essential in order to get the most out of your wine drinking.
Looking		Examining a wine will tell you a number of things, even before you smell or taste it. Hold the glass, ideally against a white background, and take a look. Colour depends on a wine's age, its sweetness, its degree of oakiness and, of course, the grape variety from which it's made.
Smelling		Smell is absolutely crucial to taste. Your nose can tell you a great deal about a wine before you even taste it so put your nose well into the glass and sniff. Does the wine have little aroma or a powerful one? What can you smell - fruits and what kind, herbs, minerals, spice, wet dog?
Tasting		Take a mouthful. Swish it around your mouth and between your teeth. Does the wine just have a simple flavour or does it have different flavours that change in your mouth? Is the texture light like water or does it have roundness and body? Does the wine feel sensuous, or is it harsh?
Spitting		Always spit out the wine you taste - any taster who didn't would become incapable after half an hour. You should spit the wine firmly and accurately in a single jet through pursed lips. Practising at home beforehand in front of a mirror can often help.
Assessing		If you are tasting a lot of wines, it can help to take notes. Jot down your impressions as you taste - the look, the aroma, the taste and, then, an overall impression. Is wine simple and easy drinking? Is it complex with different layers of flavour? Is it ready to drink? Does it offer good value?
Spotting faults		Most wine faults come from poor winemaking or from faulty materials, especially corks. Faults vary in intensity - some lessening the potential pleasure from a bottle, others making it undrinkable. Tasters can be sensitive to corked wines, while others notice too much sulphur.

TASTING

What ultimately determines if a wine is good is if you like it! You can simply taste it on its own or with your food. Or, for a little fun, organize a tasting party with a few friends.


A few tips.

• To open a bottle of Bordeaux, first cut around the top foil with a sharp blade about a quarter-inch below the rim. Wipe the rim clean, then remove the cork.
• The cork should be moist; a dried-out cork indicates the wine was stored upright and it may be oxidized. There is no need to smell the cork; it smells like cork of course.
• Now pour a glass part-way full and stop to enjoy the color. White wines gain color as they get older, and red wines loose color.
• Swirl the wine in the glass, holding it by the stem, to aerate the wine and release the bouquet.
• Smell the wine, and practice describing the bouquet. This will help you to learn to identify subtle characteristics.
• If the wine has a 'corky' or musty smell, the cork may be bad. A scent of Sherry means the bottle is 'maderized,' the result of bad storage and exposure to heat. These are valid reasons for rejecting a wine in a restaurant. No need to be an expert to detect these flaws, their scent is obvious and unpleasant.
• Now taste the wine. (Take a small sip and draw in a bit of air while the wine sits on your tongue but you don't need to make a drama of it!).
• After you have tasted the wine, sit back and savor. Think about what you just experienced. It might help if you take some notes on your impressions. If you have friends around, ask them what they think of the wine.
• Sample lighter, younger wines first, and gradually move to more full-bodied, older ones.
• When you are tasting wine in a restaurant, keep in mind that the purpose is to make sure that the wine is not spoiled by improper storage or a bad cork. You are not being asked whether you like it or not.
• In a restaurant, be sure to check the label before the waiter opens the bottle to make sure it is from the producer or château and year you ordered.