Swirl, Sniff, Slurp & Spit - the Technique of Wine Tasting

SWIRL: Hold the glass by the stem, tipped away from you against a white background and examine the colour; both for shade and intensity (Can you see the base of the glass?). Whites vary from watery white to golden-amber; reds from purply-red (youthful) to brown-red (mature), and the intensity ranges from almost transparent to opaque.

SNIFF: Take a good sniff before you swirl. Swirling the wine releases the volatile elements (exposure to oxygen wakes it up), so the second sniff reveals more. Judge if the wine smells clean or faulty, then assess the aromas.

SLURP: Take a mouthful, roll it around your tongue and slurp. The tongue notices only four tastes - sweetness, acidity (sour), bitterness and saltiness (the last is largely irrelevant). The tip is sensitive to sweetness and the sides of the tongue, to acidity. The mouth is connected to the nose, so by slurping the wine you perceive more flavours. Your tactile sense feels the alcohol (how 'hot' is it?), and the tannin level - that's the furriness felt around the gums and roof of the mouth, noticed mainly in reds.

SPIT: Finally, spit it out - watch out for your clothes. Spitting gives the next wine a chance and it's the only way to taste a range of wines - you won't lose any flavours. Notice the length of the aftertaste, an important quality assessment. Simple wines simply disappear.