Wine Tasting - 6 Steps

Six "S" of Wine Tasting

1. See: look for color and clarity by holding your glass up to the light, tilting it slightly.

2. Smell: before you swirl the wine, smell it (yes, stick your nose right into the glass). Get a good whiff.

3. Swirl: take your glass and swirl it around your glass which will open up the flavors. Notice if the wine creates "legs" or "streaks" on the sides of the glass. Heavy "legs" indicate a heavy bodied wine with high alcohol.

4. Smell: repeat step #2. Notice how much more fragrant the wine has become after opening it up by swirling.

5. Swish: now time for tasting. Take a good sip of the wine and swish it around your mouth; dont gargle with it but be sure it covers your entire mouth.

6. Swallow: now you are ready to swallow the wine. Be sure to notice the "finish". During step 5, you will notice the body, structure and various flavors of the wine. After step #6, you will most likely notice a few different flavors. Also, some wines have a quick finish while some linger for longer periods.