The Fine Art of Wine Tasting

Nothing appeals to the senses more than wine tasting. Once you acquire the habit, you will want to go on a wine tasting vacation, give a wine tasting party, perhaps join a serious group that meets regularly to taste wine and share discoveries.

Let us set about engaging all our sense in this unique experience. Once you master the basics, you will begin to discern the compexities and nuances that go into a fine wine.

The Eyes Have It
Wine tasting begins with the eyes. Hold your glass of wine up to the light and look at its color, discern its clarity. A wine should be clear and vibrant. White wines -not white at all- have shades and gradations of color. They may be a light green, the yellow of a flaxen-haired child, the golden brown color of straw. Red wines are gemlike, and may be ruby-red, purple, brick red or even have a tinge of brown. The rosés are shades of pink.

Aroma
Before we taste, we smell and some of our taste lies in the aromas we inhale. Don't be shy - give the glass a swirl. This is not pretension, you are releasing the aroma in the wine, the bouquet so prized by proud vintners. Try to identify the aromas released and the thoughts evoked. When you inhale you will discover fragrances that are floral or fruity, some that hint of oak from the barrel in which the wine was aged. A wine can be musky, hinting of moss, or spicy hinting of clove or nutmeg.

The Awakened Palate
Now that your taste buds are alive and receptive to the wine, take a sip. No - don't swallow, it's time for more swirling, this time in the mouth, while drawing in some air at the same time. The full aroma is drawn out with that inhalation. Now describe the taste in your mouth. Is it a dry, semi-dry, sweet or semi-sweet wine? Is the taste predominantly velvety, silky, buttery, or is it more robust, almost rustic? Notice the balance of the wine - is the concentration of fruit, level of tannins, and acidity in total harmony? Is it a heavy-bodied wine? Once you concentrate on these characteristics you will identify the wines that you prefer.

And finally, swallow that delicious wine. The memory will still be in your palate and this is the final determination in finding the wines you prefer. The aftertaste should be like the melody of a beautiful song, one that you want to hear again. In France aftertaste has is measured as a "caudalie." If the flavor remains for one second after you've swallowed, that wine has achieved one caudalie. A really good wine will climb higher and achieve many caudalies. The best wines make the strongest impressions with both aroma and aftertaste.

You are on your way to becoming a connoisseur.