Wine Tasting 101

To fully appreciate wine, you will engage three of your senses -- sight, smell and taste.

Follow these simple steps to wine tasting and remember that learning what you like is the key to enjoying and buying your favorite wines.

Remember, you can read all the wine books in the world but the best way to learn about wine is by tasting. It's also a lot more fun and TastingRoom.com makes it easy to do with Wine Tasting 101.

Step 1: Look

• Pour your mini-bottle sample into a wine glass and you will have just the right amount for wine tasting.
• Hold the glass by its stem to prevent warming the wine. Use a white background to check out the color, which can range from dark eggplant purple to a honey colored pale gold. Is the wine opaque or thin enough to peer through and see your date? Wine Tasting 101 Tip: If you can see through a red wine, it’s generally ready to drink.
• Now swirl your glass and tip it slightly, then watch how it trickles down the side. A slow drizzle indicates thickness, perhaps with higher levels of sugar and alcohol.

Step 2: Smell

• The “nose“, or aroma of wine is an important aspect of Wine Tasting.
• Gently rotate your glass in small circles as it sits on the table or as you hold it. This aerates the wine by mixing it with oxygen. Keep going for about ten seconds.
• Bring the glass close to your face and don’t be shy. Stick your sniffer right in there and inhale to form your first impression. Wines are often described by comparison to fruit, herbs, spices and earthiness, so think about these characteristics as you sniff.

Step 3: Taste

• At last! Tasting is the last step in the Wine Tasting 101 process. Take a big enough sip of wine to coat the inside of your mouth and swirl it for a few seconds.
• Next make a circle with your lips and suck in a bit of air. Don’t worry if this creates a little gurgle-y sound. The extra oxygen is good for your wine. This is how the pros do it. Really!
• With your first sip, your taste buds will sense four elements — alcohol, tannin, acidity and residual sugar. It is the balance of these that makes a wine seem sweet, dry, full or crisp.
• As the wine sits in your mouth, you will notice more complexities on what is called your mid-palate. (Do you sense pepper or peach? Cinnamon or citrus?)
• Now for the finish: This is the lasting impression the wine leaves in your mouth after it is gone. We hope that sip has you wanting more!
• Ready to try a different wine? Nibble on a bland cracker or slice of French bread to clear your palate.

Results: You be the judge

Keeping wine tasting notes will help you next time you are wondering what to taste or purchase. Don’t worry about writing an essay here, just jot down your main impressions — "loved this, rich and dense," or maybe, "thumbs down, too sour." Write your notes right on the Wine Tasting Menu that comes in every sampler box. Then, you can easily order full-size bottles of your favorites. The number one rule to remember from Wine Tasting 101 is to have fun -- no one knows what you like better than you.