The simple fact is, just like anything else, practice makes perfect. The more wines you sample, the better you will be at developing your palate and technique. Dont fear the technique and dont be shy. There is nothing complicated about wine tasting. Try these simple guidelines and you will be well on your way to becoming a wine tasting expert.

First Take a Look

The first thing you want to do is fill your glass to about one third full. Now take a good look at it. Hold it up to a white background or up to some light so you can get a good look. You are looking at overall color, but you are also looking at the range of coloration between the center and the rim. Red wines from hot climates will have the deepest colors. The older red wines will fade at the rim.

Now swirl your wine around a bit, slower at first and then get a good swirl going. This will aerate the wine and release more of its aroma. Now get the glass right up close to your nose and inhale deep and slow. Pull away briefly to catch your breath and inhale a second time or third time. As you gain more experience you will begin to pick out the major fruit flavors the wine has to offer. Experienced wine tasters can often pick out the variety of grape, or even what country the wine comes from!

Give it a Taste

Now lets give it a nice sized taste. Roll the wine around in your mouth. You want the wine to touch each part of your tongue, since different flavors are detected by different spots on your tongue. Really get the wine all over your mouth and breathe in slightly while the wine is in your mouth to help more fully discover the taste.

Your experience and skill will increase over time. Dont be concerned if your not assaulted by a cornucopia of tastes when you first start out. Often your only impression may be “fruity or not fruity”. As you experience more wine, the more subtle tastes will begin to make themselves known.

Other Considerations

Acidity - The acidity in wine makes it taste sharp. I personally enjoy a lot of acidity in my wine. However, if you have too much acid, your wine will taste bitter and unpleasant. Too little acidity and your wine will taste slimy and juicy.

Dryness - The dryness comes from the amount of sugar in the wine. The dryness is balanced by the acidity, and can often be confused with  the acidity. If you think about dryness as the sweetness, or lack thereof, it often helps to distinguish it.

Tannin - Tannin is often closely associated with the weight of the wine. It tends to come from the skin of the grape and you often experience it as the flavor of the skin. Tannin tends to soften with age.

Alcohol - Alcohol is found in all wines. You are looking for a robust level of alcohol in your wine, but it should always balance well with the acidity, dryness, and tannin. Too little alcohol and it will taste like juice, too much and it will feel too hot.

In conclusion, tasting wine is not something to be feared. You dont have to wildly gesticulate and exaggerate your wine tasting as you will often see people do, you are only looking to fully explore the experience of the wine. Just give it your best shot and you will get better at tasting as you taste more wine types.