Let's pretend you're ordering in a restaurant. Some high end restaurants may have a sommelier, or wine expert, on staff to help you decide. Often times your server can be helpful in making a decision as well. Or follow the basic rule of thumb, white wines go with light meat, such as chicken or fish, and red wines go with dark meat, like steak. Even so, if you are ordering chicken and you know that you love red wine, don't feel that you will be committing a faux pas by ordering a red. The most important thing is that you get what you like.
Your server will bring out the bottle you ordered and show you the label. This is simply for you to double-check that they've brought you the right thing. Next, he or she will open the bottle and show you the cork. This is to ensure that the cork isn't cracked or moldy. Some whites will cause crystals to develop on the cork. This is normal, but if you are uncomfortable, there is no shame in asking for something else.
She or he will then pour a tiny amount into your glass. This is for you to taste it and decide if you like it. Just swirl it a little bit and take a sip. You won't be able to distinguish the full gamut of aromas and flavors, but you will be able to decide if this a wine you'll want to continue drinking or not.
Once you have decided this is the wine you will stick with, the server will pour your glass 1/3 of the way full. The reason for this is so that you have extra room in the glass to swirl. Swirling helps air get in the wine which releases more aromas. Remember, our nose is responsible for thousands of flavors and our taste buds only recognize five (see the chart below).
Now comes the real tasting experience. These guidelines apply whether you're drinking in a restaurant, at home, or at a wine tasting.
1) First, check the wine for its appearance. Look for clarity and color. Hold your glass up to the light to ensure that the wine isn't cloudy. Today, it's very rare for wine to be cloudy. Note the color of the wine. Is it what you were expecting? The color indicates maturity. Young whites will be more clear and turn yellow-gold as they mature. Young reds will be dark burgundy or purple and change to a brick-red or maroon they age. Color can also help you identify what it will taste like. Learning what colors are associated with what wines will come with practice.
2) Next, swirl your glass. You'll notice clear drops slowly rolling down the inside of you glass after you swirl. These are the "legs" or "tears." The appearance of the legs can tell you a lot about the wine. If there are hardly any at all, it generally means the wine is more watery. The thicker the legs usually means the higher the alcohol level and the longer the aftertaste will linger.
3) You guessed it, the next step is smelling the wine. Stick your nose all the way in the glass and inhale deeply. Try to identify as many aromas as you can. Identifying aromas is one of the aspects of wine tasting that takes practice, but for now, just think about what the smells remind you of.
4) Taste the wine. Swirl it around in your mouth and note which areas of the tongue detect the strongest flavors. If you're at a wine tasting and will be trying many wines, it's customary to spit it back into your glass. Feeling the effects of the alcohol will dim your palate and make it harder to successfully taste more wines.
5) Pay attention to the aftertaste. This is when the qualities of the wine will be strongest and most noticeable. It's the time to reflect on what you thought of the wine and try to identify the different flavors. Don't worry about being exactly right, just think about what flavors naturally come to mind. Are they flavors you like? Don't like?
Wine tasting doesn't have to be a complicated experience. It's about practice and experimentation to find out what flavors are most enjoyable for you. There is no rush to memorize which flavors correlate with which wines or anything like that. Just take it easy and enjoy it. Over time, the technicalities will come naturally.
I learned some of these tips and tricks from http://www.2basnob.com/wine-home.html
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