How to Taste a New Wine

Everyone enjoys a glass of fine wine but very few are really knowledgeable about tasting wine properly. Read on to learn how to taste a new wine.

Instructions

1. Savor the wine. Begin with a clear wine glass. The rim of the glass should bend inwards to help funnel smells to the nose, and allow you to swirl without spilling. Contrary to what some believe, you must know how to properly hold a wine glass. Not holding the glass correctly does make a difference. Never hold the glass by its bowl, only by its stem because the heat of your hand will quickly warm the liquid. Next pour about an inch or less of wine into your glass. When tasting several wines, start with the lightest white wines and then proceed to the heavy red wines.

2. Inspect your wine. When possible, inspect your wine in daylight. Simply tilt the glass and observe what you see. Do you have a cloudy appearance or clear? Depending on what type of wine you are inspecting, the difference you will see in appearance. Red wines vary greatly in color. When red wine ages, you will see hints of reddish-brown around the edges. An older red wine might be mahogany to a brickish looking color. Wines that are garnet or black looking are usually highly concentrated younger red wines. White wines range from pale green to yellow to deep golden brown and become more golden as they age.

3. Keep in mind that most people say swirling is difficult but it is rather simple. While holding the stem of the wine glass, gently swirl the glass in small circles on a flat surface for 10 to 20 seconds so oxygen can penetrate the wine. Observe the streaks of wine (legs) as they roll down the side of the glass. The legs can help you determine the body of the wine.

4. Did you know that some of our sense of taste actually occurs in our nose? That is why when drinking or tasting something unpleasant, people often recommend holding your nose. To smell your wine just tip the glass and stick your nose in it and inhale. Sometimes you can get more aroma by holding your nose an inch or so above the glass after swirling. With wine tastings, there is really not a proper sniffing technique. Everyone does it differently.

5. Smelling your wine is the last step for wine tasting and should be taken only after you've used your other senses. Then sip the wine, letting the wine spread across the tongue from front to back and side to side before swallowing. The tip of the tongue detects sweetness. The inner sides of the tongue detect sourness and/or acidity. The outer sides of the tongue detect saltiness. The back of the tongue detects bitterness and/or alcohol. At this point you can either spit it out or simply drink it, but be sure to experience the aftertaste (the finish). When buying wine you don't want to buy wines that you would not be pleased with the after effect.

Tips & Warnings

• The following are common wine terms to know. Tasting for sweetness: The first thing you will probably notice is the relative sweetness or dryness of the wine. This is determined by the amount of natural sugar in the wine. Higher sugars in the grapes have the potential to produce higher alcohol. Tasting for acidity: The next sensation you will notice almost immediately is the tartness or acidity of the wine. Just think of the difference between grapefruit juice and water. Acid may sound harsh but it is very important in making wine taste crisp and fresh. If there is too much acid, the wine will taste bitter and unpleasantly sharp. If there is not enough acid, the wine will taste flabby and flat. Tasting for tannin: If you are drinking red wine, you may also notice the tannins in the wine. Tannin is a chemical that comes from the stalks, pips and skins of red grapes. It tastes astringent and "mouth-drying," and makes your mouth "pucker." There are many kinds of tannin. Some tannins taste bitter. Tannins are most noticeable in young red wines. Over time, as wines age, tannins "soften" and give the wine a certain full-bodied weightiness that is very enjoyable. Tasting for alcohol: Alcohol is found in all wine. A moderate amount of alcohol in wine adds "sweetness" to the taste. If the alcohol is too high and out of balance with the tannin and fruit, then the wine will feel hot in your mouth and difficult to drink. Tasting for aftertaste: This is the sensation that lingers in your mouth just after swallowing a sip of wine or other drink. Aftertaste is important in wine tasting because it can reveal an extra attribute or a fault.