The 'art' of wine tasting

In the world of wine, appearing knowledgeable does not require years of study - just a touch of elegance, confidence, and an acceptable amount of well-intentioned sleight of hand. First, how you hold your glass matters: always by the stem (or even the base) to avoid warming the wine or smudging the bowl. Tasting wine is a sensory ritual - observe the colour and density, swirl it gently to let it breathe, sniff deeply and without using crude expressions, while sipping slowly so the flavours unfold on your palate. It is quite acceptable to swill it around the mouth and even make funny noises as you do so.

It's not all about downing the wine, rather getting its measure. At tastings, spitting it out after sampling is perfectly normal. When describing what you encounter, keep it simple: sweet, bitter, sour or salty. Avoid saying a wine smells like (whatever), and instead refer to its aroma or nose - this sounds more refined and avoids negative associations.

Asking about the vintage before tasting adds polish, especially if you've done your homework and can mention a few good years. This kind of detail shows discernment without appearing pretentious. It also helps to specialise in one or two wine regions - learning their styles, grape varieties, and terroirs allows you to speak confidently and recommend wines with flair.

By mastering these steps, you'll move easily through any wine conversation or tasting. And for heaven's sake, if you are organising a wine tasting, make sure the tasters have comprehensive information in printed form to refer to.