Tasting Wine

Anyone who enjoys a glass of wine can taste wine 'properly', it’s not just for privileged palates. All it takes is a little extra concentration and a few pointers on what to look for. If you can, it’s best to use a glass with a bowl shaped base that narrows towards the top to concentrate the aromas.

Appearance

Hold your glass, about a third full, at an angle of about 45° against a white surface and look at the colour at the rim and at the centre. A young red will have a pinkish-purple rim, an old wine a tawny-brown edge. A light-bodied red will be less deep in colour at the centre than a fuller-bodied one. Crisp, light whites will be pale straw in hue, older, richer or sweeter whites are more golden. Generally, white wines turn more yellow or golden with age, while red wines turn more brown. You can also check the “legs” – give the wine a swirl and then look for trails of liquid sticking to the side of the glass as it settles. These are the “legs”. As wine ferments alcohol is created, along with glycerol – the more of the former, the more of the latter. In other words, “good legs” gripping the glass indicate a strong wine.

Aroma

The bouquet of a wine is even more important than its taste - as more than half of its flavour is contained in its volatile aromas. Your mouth can only detect sweet, sour, salt and bitter tastes, all the flavour is up in your olfactory lobe. Draw a couple of imaginary circles with your glass on a flat surface to swirl the wine around. Then sniff, letting the aromas rise towards your nostrils. Your first impression will always be the strongest; after that your nose will gradually tire.

Taste

Then take a good sip - taking in enough wine to bathe the whole of your mouth. Notice its initial taste (its attack), what flavours develop next (its middle palate) and its finish. How long do the flavours last? Is it a young tannic red wine with enough fruit to age or a smooth, fruity red for drinking now? Are the rich flavours of a white wine balanced by enough acidity, or is the acidity of a fresh white balanced by sufficient fruit?

Hints

Most of your tasting will occur as part of your drinking - you will hopefully just notice more of the flavours in your glass. However, for a more formal tasting:

• Use a room with plenty of daylight, so you get a true picture of a wine's colour.
• Don't try to smell and taste wine in an atmosphere heavy in smoke or scent.
• You don't need to spit out your precious samples, but your head won't be clear for long!
• Dispense with all food except dry water biscuits.

Sponsored by Taste Of The Grape