apples, citrus, etc). Depending on the wine it may have many smells that it resembles. Look for aromas such as vanilla, oak, butter, spices, etc.

Step 3. Sip a small amount of wine and swish it around your tongue so the entire surface area of your tongue is covered. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth briefly as you take in the aromas through your nose. I find the best way to fully taste the wine is to chew it as if

As someone who worked in the restaurant industry I became almost annoyed with the lack of education people had in wine tasting. I almost think it should be mandatory for everyone who plans on sipping on a glass of wine in a restaurant to take a quick introductory course in wine tasting. Wine tasting is not an art that must be mastered with years in years of practice, however it requires simple steps to ensure that your taste buds can full appreciate the taste of that finely aged wine. I have outline a simple 4 step process that once read will transform your average wine idiot into a fine wine connoisseur like me.

The most important part of tasting the wine is actually to smell the wine. If you already don’t know this your sense of smell allows you to taste what you are eating. For instance if you are sick the food you eat doesn’t taste like it normally does. This is because your nose is stuffed and you are not breathing the aromas of what you are eating. Or another example is your little 3 year old who plugs his nose when he is eating green beans. This 3 year old is actually very smart; cutting off his sense of smell will allow him to not taste what he is eating. So to make a long story short remember to SMELL the wine.

Step 1. Allow the wine to breath. This is done by holding the wine glass by the stem and swirling the wine in a circular motion so it moves up the sides of the glass (but not over flowing). Allow the wine to “breath” for a few seconds while you take in the aroma it is releasing.

Step 2. Discontinue swirling the glass, place your nose right next to the glass, and inhale. See if you can smell any distinct flavors (peaches, cherry, smoke, earth, pineapples, citrus, etc). Depending on the wine it may have many smells that it resembles. Look for aromas such as vanilla, oak, butter, spices, etc.

Step 3. Sip a small amount of wine and swish it around your tongue so the entire surface area of your tongue is covered. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth briefly as you take in the aromas through your nose. I find the best way to fully taste the wine is to chew it as if i

buds can full appreciate the taste of that finely aged wine. I have outline a simple 4 step process that once read will transform your average wine idiot into a fine wine connoisseur like me.

The most important part of tasting the wine is actually to smell the wine. If you already don’t know this your sense of smell allows you to taste what you are eating. For instance if you are sick the food you eat doesn’t taste like it normally does. This is because your nose is stuffed and you are not breathing the aromas of what you are eating. Or another example is your little 3 year old who plugs his nose when he is eating green beans. This 3 year old is actually very smart; cutting off his sense of smell will allow him to not taste what he is eating. So to make a long story short remember to SMELL the wine.

Step 1. Allow the wine to breath. This is done by holding the wine glass by the stem and swirling the wine in a circular motion so it moves up the sides of the glass (but not over flowing). Allow the wine to “breath” for a few seconds while you take in the aroma it is releasing.

Step 2. Discontinue swirling the glass, place your nose right next to the glass, and inhale. See if you can smell any distinct flavors (peaches, cherry, smoke, earth, pineapples, citrus, etc). Depending on the wine it may have many smells that it resembles. Look for aromas such as vanilla, oak, butter, spices, etc.

Step 3. Sip a small amount of wine and swish it around your tongue so the entire surface area of your tongue is covered. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth briefly as you take in the aromas through your nose. I find the best way to fully taste the wine is to chew it as if

ke it normally does. This is because your nose is stuffed and you are not breathing the aromas of what you are eating. Or another example is your little 3 year old who plugs his nose when he is eating green beans. This 3 year old is actually very smart; cutting off his sense of smell will allow him to not taste what he is eating. So to make a long story short remember to SMELL the wine.

Step 1. Allow the wine to breath. This is done by holding the wine glass by the stem and swirling the wine in a circular motion so it moves up the sides of the glass (but not over flowing). Allow the wine to “breath” for a few seconds while you take in the aroma it is releasing.

Step 2. Discontinue swirling the glass, place your nose right next to the glass, and inhale. See if you can smell any distinct flavors (peaches, cherry, smoke, earth, pineapples, citrus, etc). Depending on the wine it may have many smells that it resembles. Look for aromas such as vanilla, oak, butter, spices, etc.

Step 3. Sip a small amount of wine and swish it around your tongue so the entire surface area of your tongue is covered. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth briefly as you take in the aromas through your nose. I find the best way to fully taste the wine is to chew it as if

ath. This is done by holding the wine glass by the stem and swirling the wine in a circular motion so it moves up the sides of the glass (but not over flowing). Allow the wine to “breath” for a few seconds while you take in the aroma it is releasing.

Step 2. Discontinue swirling the glass, place your nose right next to the glass, and inhale. See if you can smell any distinct flavors (peaches, cherry, smoke, earth, pineapples, citrus, etc). Depending on the wine it may have many smells that it resembles. Look for aromas such as vanilla, oak, butter, spices, etc.

Step 3. Sip a small amount of wine and swish it around your tongue so the entire surface area of your tongue is covered. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth briefly as you take in the aromas through your nose. I find the best way to fully taste the wine is to chew it as if

apples, citrus, etc). Depending on the wine it may have many smells that it resembles. Look for aromas such as vanilla, oak, butter, spices, etc.

Step 3. Sip a small amount of wine and swish it around your tongue so the entire surface area of your tongue is covered. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth briefly as you take in the aromas through your nose. I find the best way to fully taste the wine is to chew it as if it were food. Do not gulp the wine; rather slowly take it in over small swallows.

Step 4. Take notice of the flavor in your mouth. Do you feel dry on the roof of your mouth when you touch your tongue to it. This is called tannin of the wine. The more the tannin the dryer it will feel in your mouth. Tannin is associated with drier wines such as cabernets and chardonnays.

See now you can consider yourself a professional wine taster rather than a savage wine drinker. Enjoy!