What to look for when tasting wine

Tasting wine should be taken on many levels to assess the true taste and clarity

Wine tasting and appreciation can expand the simple act of drinking wine to new heights as you become aware of the aromas, aftertaste and small subtleties in the many aspects of its flavour with many considering true wine appreciation as the ability to taste the various characteristics associated with each different wine.

Learning the different elements of wine tasting is not as complicated as it may sound, with basic appreciation simply a matter of taking in and recognising what sensations the wine is offering to your most basic senses. This means appreciating the look, smell and taste and using all three to assess and enjoy the wine.

Generally speaking, if you want to get a good idea of a wine's taste, consider these four elements: 

• Appearance - The colour of wine should always be the first thing to consider before you even taste the wine. Look for clarity and the colour itself which should indicate the maturity of the wine. When it comes to white wines they are typically pale when young and grow darker and more golden as they mature whereas with red wines, they will lighten as they mature beginning quite dark and purple. When it comes to the wine's opacity you will want to look for any sediment at the base of the glass and for any of the following characteristics: watery or dark, dull or brilliant, translucent or opaque, cloudy or clear.
• Aroma - arguably the most important part of the wine tasting experience due to the sheer fact that the aroma of a wine is able to convey many different features and levels of the wine that can accumulate during the bottling and fermentation process. It is a widely recognised fact in the wine industry that while the tongue can only recognise basic characteristics (bitter, sour, salty and sweet), the nose is able to differentiate thousands of aromas that can contribute to the flavour of wine. Gently swirl the glass in order to vaporize some of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aromas. An aroma is an excellent indicator of the quality and characteristics of the wine.
• Taste - To properly taste wine, a decent-sized sip is necessary, and this should be followed with the drawing in of air to help vapours reach the back of the mouth. For wine connoisseurs there are essentially three stages of taste known as the Attack phase, the Evolution phase and the Finish. The Attack Phase is the first initial taste and impression that the wine gives you which will consist of the tannin levels, alcohol content, acidity and residual sugar. The Evolution Phase will indicate the flavour profile of the wine and you should be able to pick up exact tastes or flavours such as fruits or spices. Finally the Finish or Aftertaste will magnify the good and bad characteristics of the wine.

Now that you have experienced the wine on various levels and have broken down its many sources of flavour, it is always a smart idea to make a note of your impressions for future reference. Include how you thought the wine tasted what flavours dominated (sweet, sour, fruity, acidity levels) and how it blended with foods or was it best served alone.

There are wine tasting tours, wine tasting kits and various methods to test wine and experience its flavour to the full. Wine tasting ensures that the enjoyment is carried out to the full extent.