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Learning how to taste wines is a straightforward procedure. It can deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. By starting with your basic senses of Sight, Smell and Taste and then expanding your experience from there you will learn how to taste wines like the pros in no time!
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SIGHT: Take a good look at the wine. What colour is it? Look beyond red, white or blush. If it's a red wine is the colour maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red or even brownish. If it's a white wine is it clear, straw-like, golden, light green, pale yellow or brown in appearance?
KEEP LOOKING: Is the wine clear, cloudy, transparent or opaque? Tilt your glass a bit, give it a little swirl - look again, you are looking at colour, clarity, brilliance.
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SMELL: Gently swirl your glass (this will enhance the wine's natural aromas) and then take a quick sniff to gain a first impression.
KEEP SMELLING: Now stick your nose down into the glass and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your second impressions? Do you smell oak, berry, flowers, vanilla or citrus? Gently swirl the wine and let the aromas mix and mingle, and sniff again.
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TASTE: Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip and let it roll around your tongue. There are three stages of taste:
1. Initial Taste - This is your first impression of the wine's components and flavours.
2. Taste - After gathering your initial impression of the wine, allow a small breath of air in through your lips and allow the wine to mingle with the air (called swirling). This will allow you to taste flavours more fully (even if you look or sound a bit funny). What do you taste? Reds will often have berry, woody and bell pepper tastes. White wines will often have apple, floral or citrus flavours associtated with them.
3. Finish - The wine's finish is how long the flavour lasts after it is swallowed. Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied (like water) or full-bodied (like the consistency of milk)?
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REFLECT: After you have taken the time to taste your wine, you might record some of your impressions. Did you like the wine overall? Does it taste better with cheese, bread or a heavy meal? Will you buy it again? If so, jot the wine's name, producer and year down for future reference.
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