and unfiltered wines are fashionable today and can be dull in appearance, most wines will reflect light and display brilliance; these are signs of quality production. Wines shouldn't exhibit effervescence; the exceptions are sparkling wines (obviously), young whites that may retain a bit of youthful spritz, and specific interpretations of whites and even reds that, by design, may impart a prickle to the tongue. Identify the color of the wine with descriptors that are meaningful to you. One person's straw yellow is another's light sunflower. Does the color make contextual sense? Remember that red wines fade and lose color as they age, whereas white wines darken and intensify in hue. If a producer's new release of Cabernet Sauvignon is a faded mahogany brown, there's likely a problem. But if a friend at home pulls out a well-stored ten-year-old Chardonnay that still appears youthful in color, this, of course, is good!
Take note of the depth of color of the wine. Generally, wines that are deeper and more saturated in hue will have more muscle and oomph, while those less intense in color will be lighter and more elegant. Although color is no guarantee of quality, it will give you a sense of what to expect from the wine: a full or light body, powerful or delicate flavors.
Finally, swirl the wine to examine the so-called tears, or legs. Swirl the glass and note how liquid rivulets form and run down the inside of the glass from the apex of the “swirl line.” The speed at which the tears form and run down the side of the glass can tell you something about the wine's personality and body, but, again, they are not an indication of quality. The rule of thumb is straightforward: the slower the formation and fall of the tears, the higher the alcoholic content or sugar in the wine. Thus richer, full-bodied wines tear more slowly than lighter wines; and, in general, warmer-climate wines (most reds, for example) will tear more slowly than cooler-climate wines (whites). The tears of sweet wines, with their higher sugar content, fall more slowly than most others. If you find in your initial swirl that the tears aren't forming, swirl several more times. As when you season a pan, you need to create a thin coating of wine on the glass for the tears to form.
WINE AGE AND COLOR
SMELL
Most information about a wine is discerned in the nose, not in the mouth. Most of what we think of as taste is actually what we smell. When your nasal passages are congested with colds or allergies and you can barely breathe through your nose, you can barely taste anything at all. Fillet of sole tastes the same as chicken. It's essential to spend time sniffing and reflecting on the wine's aroma. Professionals will tell you that about 75 percent of their evaluation time is spent analyzing the aromas of a wine.
As with looking at wine, smelling it is a learned skill. Several short, sharp sniffs are more efficient than one big inhalation. The nose is a very sensitive instrument, one that fatigues quickly and should not be overworked. By swirling the wine in the glass, you increase the surface area and the wine's exposure to air and thus deepen the aromatic impact. I always recommend picking up the glass, smelling the wine statically, and then swirling it and going back for a second sniff. Cupping your hand over the glass will further amplify the aroma.
First make certain that the wine smells clean—free of faults. Wine should smell like wine, not vinegar, rotten eggs, or roadkill. If in doubt, ask for an opinion from someone else. Second, the description on the label should match what you get in the nose and subsequently the glass. If the label says it's a rich, smooth, and chocolaty Cabernet Sauvignon and what you smell is a bitter, sharp, and austere wine, something's wrong. The initial scents of wine are largely fruit-driven. Yes, wine sometimes actually smells like grapes, as a grapey Grenache-based wine or Gamay Beaujolais will do. Most, however, smell fruity but not grapey per se. That's to say we smell fruit other than grapes. For example, Chardonnay can put forth aromas of lemon, apple and even pineapple. This may sound surreal to the novice wine drinker (it's grape juice, right?), but if the aroma is not obvious and if a wine's not speaking to you, close your eyes and free-associate. Think of it as going to the science museum and trying to identify the aroma of the mystery vials laid out to explain our olfactory system. And remember, one person's lemon is another's grapefruit, so don't obsess about nailing the exact descriptors, because a given wine will have a wide variety of aromas.
Some wines will display earthiness, or what wine folks often refer to as terroir. It's an all-encompassing term that is commonly and erroneously referred to as the taste of the earth (or dirt). It's far more than that: terroir includes the effects of soil composition, drainage, slope, weather, and sun exposure, among other factors. Terroir is most commonly associated with traditionally produced Western European wines. A great German Riesling may hint at dry slate and petrol, or a classic red Barolo may remind you of black truffle and parched earth. These are not, of course, additives to the wines but rather characteristics that express themselves more noticeably in cool climates (such as central or northern France) than in warm ones (such as southern Australia or central California). Although the term has snob appeal, terroir is neither good nor bad. It simply is. You sense it as both aroma and taste. In wines where terroir is profound, the fruit is usually more subdued, and vice versa. Distinctive terroir aromas are generally obvious and become easier to discern with experience. Try a classically interpreted European wine alongside its American or Australian counterpart, and the difference becomes clear: for example, a French red Bordeaux's minerally terroir can be readily distinguished from a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon's fruit-forward nature.
Many wines are aged in oak barrels (known as barriques), which can impart aromas and flavors. Most classic, small wine barrels are traditionally coopered by heating and bending the wooden staves over fire; the resulting charring of the staves affects the flavor of the wine. In whites, you may detect aromas of caramel, vanilla, toast, cinnamon, or other sweet spices. In reds, the nuances are more likely to be chocolate, smoke, toast, coffee, and, again, vanilla and sweet spices.
As you smell, you develop initial insights into the wine's personality. Tartness in wine (its acidity) can be estimated by salivation. If you are very sensitive to acidity, smelling a sharp white wine such as a young Pinot Grigio can make you salivate in the same way that placing a lemon slice directly under your nose will do. Nasally detected bitterness, especially in ample red wines, may indicate the presence of tannins, naturally occurring compounds in red wines that produce a gritty, chalky sensation, similar to the astringent effect of strong black tea. Alcohol, which may come off as a hot or slightly burning sensation in the top of the nose, can be evident and provides a clue as to the richness or body of the wine. Fuller-bodied wines are by definition higher in alcohol and may prickle your nose. Compare a sniff of wine with one of vodka, gin, or whiskey to get an exaggerated example of this burning sensation.
TASTE AND TOUCH
As you may have gathered by now, I believe that tasting (from an evaluative standpoint) is overrated. Once you've made comprehensive visual and olfactory assessments of the wine, the tasting serves merely to confirm your observations. Of course, there are certain attributes that can be evaluated best through tasting, but, by and large, appearance and aroma will give you a clear sense of the wine. For me, the primary reason for actual tasting is the enjoyment.
In tasting, the key is ensuring that you take in enough to evaluate. Many people sip wine like coffee, covering about 15 percent of their taste buds, and not thoroughly coating the mouth for maximum appreciation and evaluation. So sip amply! Some people like to slurp the wine; this, like swirling the wine in the glass, incorporates extra air into the wine. “Chewing” the wine to move it around in your mouth can also be helpful.
The ultimate yardstick in tasting is overall balance. Do all of the components come together seamlessly? Individual characteristics shouldn't stick out: too much oak, too much alcohol, sugar, or acidity.
Everything hinges on the acidity or tartness of the wine. Rate it on a
