Tasting Wine
The decision of what wine to drink is a matter of personal taste. Gone are the days of matching wine with certain foods. Today's rule of thumb is to drink what you enjoy with what tastes good to your palette. A good wine should have all the above elements in balance because all the individual impressions are consistent in character.

Three Key Attributes to Wine

The first and most obvious attribute of wine is Sight: Picking up the glass by the stem or base (to avoid warming the wine from the heat in your hand allows a clear view of the color of the grape through the glass), hold the glass up to the light. Evaluate the color and clarity.

The second attribute of wine is Color: The intensity of a wine's color can convey some idea of its character. For example, a light pale white wine will most likely have less body and flavor than a heavier "gold" wine. A pale red wine will most likely have less body and flavor than a dark, deeply colored wine.

Clarity: Wine clarity refers to the absence or presence of suspended particles or sediment in a wine. Clarity can range from brilliant to clear to cloudy.

Brilliant: Absolutely free of sediment, crystal clear

Clear: Free of sediment but not brilliant

Cloudy: Visible sediment or a muddy look

The third attribute of wine is Smell: Swirl the wine to release the aromas. Hold the glass up to your nose and inhale. Evaluate the aroma and bouquet.

Aroma: Smells that are directly related to the odor of the fresh wine grape.

Bouquet: Smells that result from fermentation or aging process. Bouquet may also be used to describe a wine's overall smell.

Take a small amount of wine in your mouth, draw some air and swallow. Evaluate the body and finish.

Description of Body in a glass of wine:

Light: Thin, slightly watery in texture (like skim milk)

Medium: Fuller than light but not too heavy in texture (like regular milk)

Full: Very robust, rich and mouth-coating in texture (like heavy cream)

Description of Finish or Aftertaste in a glass of wine:

Short: Very little aftertaste; the wine's flavors go away quickly

Long: Lingering aftertaste; the wine's flavor is noticeable for a length of time

Clean: Pleasurable finish free of defects or unpleasant tastes; can be either short or long in nature

Unpleasant: Undesirable aftertaste caused by excessive bitterness, cloying sweetness, excessive tartness or off flavors