Tasting wine

To someone with a high level of wine expertise, like Cru Vin Dogs President Mary or CEO Bill, tasting wine is easy. But to us every day wine drinkers, sometimes we need a refresher in the best way to try wine and truly experience it.

To start, take a moment to appreciate your wine's appearance. Tilt the glass away from you and then hold it up against a white wall or a piece of white paper. How does the wine look? White wines become darker as they age; red wines tend to develop a brown hue.Watch the wine slide back down the glass; does the wine slowly fall down the glass, or does it trickle? That trickle is referred to as "legs" and indicates that a wine is more viscous and more full bodied.

CVD President Mary Snellgrove

Swirl your wine in the glass -- this opens up the wine, releasing more of the wine's aromas. Now smell the wine, let the glass cover your nose, take your time and really think about the smell. Smell the wine several times: taste it, smell again, you'll discover new aromas as you do.

Take a sip of wine. Let the wine venture around your mouth and visit all the different taste buds -- remember that different areas of your mouth taste different things. Draw air through your lips, as if you were going to whistle. This is called aspirating your wine. It allows the wine to open up, much in the same way that swirling the wine in your glass opened up the aromas. While you taste your wine consider these points:

• Did the wine have a full body? Did it feel heavy in your mouth, or thin? Different varietals have different weights -- so a Pinot Grigio should be lighter feeling than a Chardonnay.
• How was the acidity? Did it taste crisp and fresh? Too much or too little acidity can result in a wine that is flat or sour. 
• Tannic structure -- Tannins come from the skins, stems and, seeds of the grape. They can taste bitter, but are an important part in developing a well-balanced wine. Tannins soften with age and become almost silky.
• Flavor: what does it taste like? Vanilla and nuts indicate that the wine has been aged in oak. Think about fruits, seasonings, meats, flowers, and any other flavor you can while you taste the wine. And be sure to talk about it with a friend, often times you won't taste a flavor until someone else points it out.

And then swallow (or spit). How long does the taste stay with you? Better wines will leave the flavors lingering in your mouth.

The best way to learn more about wine is to keep a journal. As you try wines, write down what you taste, what you experience. It's the best way to learn and grow your wine knowledge. And don't worry if it's hard to come up with a description at first. When my brother (who is an expert on almost everything) started his wine journal, he found that many of his first submissions consisted of "tastes like...wine."

Have fun and happy tasting!