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Wine Tasting
The Look of a Wine
Pour some wine into a clear glass and hold it in front of a white
tablecloth to study the color. Wine can range in color from a pale
yellow to black-red. In general, dark shaded wines have much more
flavor. Swirl the wine around the glass in a circular motion. As the
wine falls back into the center of the glass a 'rim' is left along the
sides. The color of this rim is a good indicator of the age of a wine.
Wines that are purple would be considered young while those of a much
darker red being their senior. You'll also notice that when swirled in
he glass, the wine leaves streaks that run from the rim to the center.
These streaks are called 'legs'. If a wines legs stay on the sides of
the glass you may safely assume that the wine is somewhat heavy in
flavor and/or alcoholic potency.
The Smell of a Wine
As you swirl your wine around the glass you'll notice that the smell of
the wine is more apparent. This smell is referred to as the 'bouquet'.
Take some time to study the bouquet of the wine before even raising the
glass to your lips. For some this smell is almost as enjoyable as the
tasting, which will soon follow. At first many wines will smell the same
but as you're exposure to different types of wine grows you'll find that
you can easily pinpoint some of its characteristics.
The Taste of Wine
Start by taking a small sip of the wine. Just a few drops to get the
initial flavor onto your tongue will be enough to start. Try and focus
on the primary flavor. Is it peppery or overly sweet? You'll only have
this one chance to study such an isolated flavor so take the time and
enjoy it. Your next task will be to take in a larger portion of the
wine. "Chew" the wine and move it around your mouth a little
while taking in a little bit of air. This will give you the best
indication as to the body and texture of the wine. You'll quickly
determine whether it is light or heavy, smooth or velvety. The final
stage of tasting would be how the wine 'finishes' or it's aftertaste.
This can often be the dearth of a wine that seems good in the first two
stages. Look for overly earthy flavors which can be an indication of a
wine hat has gone past it's prime drinking age.
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Aging guidelines |
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| Bordeaux (Red) |
5-9 years |
| Bordeaux (White) |
3-7 years |
| Cabernet Sauvignon |
3-8 years |
| Chianti |
0-4 years |
| Chardonnay |
0-3 years |
| Merlot |
2-6 years |
| Port |
4-20 years |
| Zinfandel (Red) |
5-10 years |
| Zinfandel (White) |
0-1 years |
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