Practiced wine tasters will gauge the wine's quality in other ways too. These include, whether the wine is of high quality with respect to other wines of its price, region or vintage; if it is typical of the region it is made in or diverges in style; if it uses certain wine making techniques, such as barrel fermentation or malolactic fermentation; or if it has any wine faults. Many professional wine tasters, such as sommliers or buyers for retailers, look for characteristics in the wine which are desirable to wine drinkers or which indicate that the wine is likely to sell or mature well.

Order of Tasting
Tasting order is very important, as heavy or sweet wines can dominate lighter wines and skew the taster's assessment of those wines. As such, wines should be tasted in the following order: sparkling wines; light whites, then heavy whites; roses; light reds; heavy reds; sweet wines.

Without having tasted the wines, however, one does not know if, for example, a white is heavy or light. Before tasting, try and determine the order the wines should be assessed in, by appearance and nose alone. Remember that heavy wines will be deeper in color and generally more intense on the nose. Sweeter wines, being denser, will leave thick, viscous streaks (called legs) down the inside of the glass, when swirled.

Tasting Procedures

• Look - Take a look. View the wine, examine its color. Each varietal will show similar variances of color so this will be your first clue in determining the right grape. Young white wines are often pale in color while older white wines take on a color of straw or can even be golden. Young red wines can be dark and opaque purple while older red wines can take on a red brick or even amber hue, particularly at the rim of the glass. For a sommelier or avid wine junkie, this step can paint a larger picture about the varietal, region, and age of the wine in question while even prepare the participant for what to expect. As an amateur however take a mental picture, admire the beauty the wine beholds and prepare to taste!
  
  
• Swirl - I am quite sure you have seen diners swirling their glasses of wine at least somewhere once. This step is integral to the art of smelling as swirling acts as a catalyst in releasing the wine's bouquet. A bouquet refers to the overall smell of the wine, and is also known as "the nose". After a bottle is opened and poured it requires oxygen in order to develop into the treasure it was meant to be. Swirling encourages aeration, allowing more oxygen to get into the wine and release the bouquet. So get swirling!
  
  
• Smell - This step is critical in tasting wine as our sense of taste is good, however our sense of smell is much better, in fact on average a person can smell over 2000 various scents! What we smell also affects what we taste so it is important to take the time to smell the wine before you taste. You will begin to notice many different scents that may be hard to differentiate at first. Try opening a few different bottles of white varietals or red varietals and smell each. Notice the differences between them. Does it smell like a particular fruit or spice? Does is smell burnt or like tar? Maybe it smells woody or nutty? How intense are they? By practicing you will be better able to determine different characteristics in the wine and of course be able to determine the varietal right away. Wine is not to be sniffed at: smelling should not be rushed. The aroma of the wine, which in most wines corresponds to its flavor, is one of the most important aspects of tasting a wine. It tells the taster about most aspects of the wine's quality, thus inhale deep and long to learn the wine's secrets.
  
  The last and equally important part about smelling wine is to identify whether the wine is "off" or in other words bad. Wine, like most everything, is not perfect all of the time. A nose that reflects the dank smell of a moldy cellar is a sure sign of a "corked wine". This is the most common fault found in wine caused by a contaminant called TCA which is found mostly in corks but can also reside in wood barrels, walls, and beams. Unfortunately this ugly little impurity can cause a lot of damage. So use your senses to detect corked wine, and take your damaged bottle back to where you bought it for a refund!
  
  
• Taste - This is not a cue for drinking! This simply means to take a sip and hold it on the palate for at least a few moments. We have thousands of taste buds all over the mouth so it makes sense to allow the wine to find almost all of them! Move the wine all around the mouth so that it reaches your cheeks and throat. Notice how your taste buds react to the substance. While tasting the wine, consider the following to help determine characteristics. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or just starting to explore and expand your wine knowledge, here are some definitions of words that are commonly used to describe wines.
  
  
  • Palate - Is the wine acidic? Is it tannic? Are the tannins fine or are they hard and difficult to drink? Is the wine light, medium or full bodied? What does the wine taste like and how intense are those flavors? How alcoholic is it? Is the wine dry or sweet? How long does it persist in the mouth after tasting?
    
    To assess the palate of a wine is to look at its structure: sugar, tannin, acid, alcohol and intensity of flavors. Ideally, these structural attributes should balance each other, except in wines designed to be out of balance (such as Barolo, which is very tannic and acidic, and Rutherglen Muscat, which is very sweet with low acid).
    
    The term Palate as used here is a matter of debate. Both the physiological hard and soft palates have no sensory organs beyond the tactile sensation, though this may impart information about the viscosity, spritzig (carbonation) and, as a counterpoint of friction to the tongue, the astringent (tannic) qualities of wine this information is processed more efficiently and precisely with the tongue. It has been suggested that Palette (as 'painter's palette') be used as a metaphor to describe the over-all experience of a wine, the cumulative impression on the five senses.
    
    
  • Body - Body is the tasting term referring to viscosity, consistency, thickness, or texture. Wine with "Body" often has a higher alcohol or sugar content than normal. The tannin, also, is a major component of what is called "body" in a wine. A best way to comprehend the feeling of "body" in a wine is to think of milk. Recall the difference in mouthful of skim then full cream milk, then cream. Wine is usually classified as light / medium/ or full-bodied.
    
    
  • Aftertaste
    The sensation that lingers in your mouth just after you swallow the wine is called the aftertaste, or finish. It's important in wine tasting because it can reveal a lot about the quality of a wine - the longer the finish, the better the wine, generally speaking. The finish can also reveal an extra 'hidden ' attribute which was not apparent on the nose, or sometimes even a fault.

Some Terms for Tasting Wine

• Barnyardy: Smell of farm animals. Negative.
  
  
• Bite: A marked degree of acidity or tannin. An acid grip in the finish should be more like a zestful tang and is tolerable only in a rich, full-bodied wine.
  
  
• Bitter: One of the four basic tastes. Considered a fault if the bitterness dominates the flavor or aftertaste. A trace in sweet wines may complement the flavors. In young red wines it can be a warning signal, as bitterness doesn't always dissipate with age. A fine, mature wine should not be bitter on the palate.
  
  
• Buttery: It refers to both flavor and texture or mouthfeel.
  
  
• Chewy: Describes rich, heavy, tannic wines that are full-bodied.
  
  
• Corked: The wine tastes of cork, it is unpleasant to smell and taste, slightly musty.
  
  
• Dirty: Covers any and all foul, rank, off-putting smells that can occur in a wine, including those caused by bad barrels or corks. A sign of poor winemaking.
  
  
• Earthy: Describes a wine that tastes of soil, most common in red wines. Can be used both positively (pleasant, clean quality adding complexity to aroma and flavor) and negatively (barnyardy character bordering on dirtiness).
  
  
• Flinty: Describe the aroma or taste of some white wines; like the odor of flint striking steel.
  
  
• Fruity: Describes any quality referring to the body and richness of a wine, i.e., "appley," "berrylike" or "herbaceous." Usually implies a little extra sweetness.
  
  
• Grapey: Describes simple flavors and aromas associated with fresh table grapes.
  
  
• Green: Tasting of un-ripe fruit. Not necessarily a bad thing, especially in a Riesling.
  
  
• Heady: Used to describe the smell of a wine high in alcohol.
  
  
• Herbaceous: The taste and smell of herbs.
  
  
• Murky: Lacking brightness, turbid or swampy.
  
  
• Musty: Having a mouldy smell.
  
  
• Oaky: Describes the aroma and taste of oak.
  
  
• Oxidized: Describes stale or 'off' wines.
  
  
• Peppery: Describes the taste of pepper in a wine; sharper than 'Spicy.'
  
  
• Perfumed: Refers to a delicate bouquet.
  
  
• Smoky: Describes a subtle wood-smoke aroma.
  
  
• Spicy: Describes the presence of spice flavors such as anise, cinnamon, cloves, mint and pepper, often present in complex wines.
  
  
• Sweet: One of the four basic tastes. Describes the presence of residual sugar and/or glycerine.
  
  
• Tannic: Describes a dry sensation, with flavors of leather and tea.
  
  
• Tart: Sharp-tasting because of acidity. See also 'Acidic.'
  
  
• Toasty: Describe a hint of the wooden barrel. Usually associated with dry white wines.
  
  
• Velvety: Having rich flavor and a silky texture.
  
  
• Zesty: A wine that's invigorating.

Vertical and horizontal wine tastings are wine tasting events that are arranged to highlight differences between similar wines.

• In a vertical tasting, different vintages of the same wine type from the same winery are tasted. This emphasizes differences between various vintages.

• In a horizontal tasting, the wines are all from the same vintage but are from different wineries. Keeping wine variety or type and wine region the same helps emphasize differences in winery styles.

Improving Ability
The best way to improve one's wine tasting ability is to taste as much wine as possible, on a regular basis. The sensory experience of wine is highly subjective; the wine's temperature, the ambient temperature, psychological and physical states and many other factors contribute to the impression of a wine. It is of utmost importance to take notes on your evaluation. Two things make a master taster: knowing what you like and dislike, and knowing how to describe it.

Visiting Wineries
Traveling to wine regions is another way of increasing skill in tasting. Many wine producers in wine regions all over the world offer tastings of their wine. Depending on the country or region, tasting at the winery may incur a small charge to allow the producer to cover costs.

It is not considered rude to spit out wine at a winery, even in the presence of the wine maker or owner. Generally, a spittoon will be provided. In some regions of the world, tasters simply spit on the floor or onto gravel surrounding barrels. It is polite to inquire about where to spit before beginning tasting.

Wine Tasting Pocket Journal - (PDF - 150KB - Free)
Our tri-fold wine tasting journal form is double-sided and measures 8.5" x 11" and has been developed and is the product of many of many tasting notes in various forms and has been developed with ease of use in mind. A very useful tool to learn about wine while participating in a wine tasting. Free - compliments of The Wine Pages.

	Printing Media: Standard white 8.5" x 11" inkjet paper stock. Directions: 1. Open "Front" and insert paper into printer lengthwise and print inside page. 2. Next, print the "Back" page on the reverse side of the same piece of paper. Follow the printer's instructions in order to get the correct results.
FRONT
BACK

Wine Tasting Wallet Cards (PDF - 70KB - Free)
A standard size business card containing important wine tasting tips for use on your next trip or outing. Small size for a wallet if you don't want a large pocket tri-fold.

	Printing Media: Avery 8865 - 2" x 3-1/2" - Two-Side Printable Clean Edge Business Cards - 10 cards per sheet, 20 sheets per package or equivalent. Directions: 1. Insert Avery 8865 card sheet into printer lengthwise and print the front of the cards. 2. Next, print the "Back" of the cards on the reverse side of the same piece of paper. Follow the printer's instructions in order to get the correct results. Notes: Turn OFF "shrink and/or expand pages to page size" printer setting - it will distort the layout of the cards. Please refer to your printer manual on how to do this.
FRONT
BACK

Wine Tasting Notebook Journal (PDF - 305KB - Free)
An 8.5" x 11" notebook sheet containing tasting notes and a space which you can affix a wine label. Create your wine tasting book which you can refer to whenever.

	Printing Media: Standard white 8.5" x 11" inkjet paper stock. Directions: 1. Open "Front" and insert paper into printer lengthwise and print page.
FRONT