Tips for Tasting and Testing Wine

Smell

Our noses can reveal many truths about wine. First off, make sure the stemware used is dust and detergent-free; this will allow for clarity of sent. Wine should smell floral with notes of fruit and spice. If sent in undecernable allow the wine to continue to aerate, then try again. If there are smells such as mold or sawdust there may be a flaw known as cork taint. Your nose knows what is good and what is, well, not good.

Sight

To examine the color of the wine hold the glass up against a white wall or tablecloth. This will help us see if opacity of the wine. If the wine looks cloudy, it might be a sign that the wine has gone bad. Understanding the color and depth of wine can help us understand the style of wine. For example, a traditional sangiovese will be bright and semi-transparent; if it is a modern style it might be darker and opaque.

Taste

Three big variables to examine in this one sense: texture, weight, and balance of acidity & alcohol. Swishing the wine in your mouth allows for the wine to hit every part of your tongue in order to determine these important notes. Modern-style wines tend to be fruit forward; while traditional wines are balanced with savory undertones.

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