How to taste wine

The first step when tasting one is to inspect the cork. The cork must be intact and the only trace of wine must be at the bottom of the cork. If the cork appears moist, cracked or has wine stains on the sides or top, it most likely means that the wine has been exposed and is not in good condition.

Another possibility is that the cork is hard and dry; a dry cork won’t be air tight and may be the sign of an exposed wine. You can also give the cork a quick sniff to see if you detect a moldy smell, which is a sure sign that wine has gone bad.

Photo by MShades

If the cork seems OK, the next step is to pour a small amount of wine into the glass and swirl it vigorously by lightly pressing the bottom of the glass against the table and follow with a circular motion of your hand (be careful not to spill the wine). By swirling the wine, you will increase the wine’s surface of contact with the air and allow it to release its aroma.

You can then pour more wine into the glass (about one third full, but never more than half) and proceed to enjoy your wine. If you have guests, serve the women and older persons first, followed by the rest of the people and you at the end.

You can continue to swirl the wine and bringing your nose close to the glass to feel the wine's aroma before sipping it. This short video will teach you how to do it: