A short expert guide on wine tasting.

According to online wine marketplace Underground Cellar, wine is unlike other alcoholic beverages. It takes time, a bit of effort, and luckily lots of practice to fully appreciate its taste. Getting into wine has become easier over the past few decades because of events that focus on wine tasting. Some wineries even hold events to teach people how to better appreciate wine.

On that note, here are a few important reminders about tasting and enjoying wine , as shared by Underground Cellar.

Serve the wine at the correct temperature

Sparkling wines and light bodied whites should be served at fridge temperature (40F), although higher quality examples such as vintage Champagne should be allowed to warm up to 45F to allow more of their complex aromas to show.

Full bodied Whites such as California Chardonnay or White Bordeaux should be served close to 5oF. Rose can be served between 45F and 55F depending on your own preference. Light bodied reds such as Gamay or lighter Pinots should be served at cellar temperature (55F), whereas full bodied reds such as bigger Pinots, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel should be served between 60F and 65F

Aerate the wine in a proper wineglass.

Drinking a wine as soon as one opens the bottle will not allow the wine to show its full potential, let the wine sit for 5 to 30 minutes in a decanter or swirl the wine in the glass to yield a fuller flavor . Wine glasses are designed to showcase the aromas of the wine allowing people to appreciate the full bouquet. (Check out our subsequent article describing different types of wine glasses)

Swirl the wine properly in the wineglass.

Swirling the wine in the glass adds oxygen and helps to release aromatic compounds. Veteran tasters can use these fruit, spice, and herbal notes to help identify the grape(s) used and sometimes even the region it is from. The color of the wine comes from pigments in the skins of the grapes: darker colored wines come from thick skinned grapes such as Cabernet, Petite Sirah, and Syrah; lighter colored wines are generally from thin skinned grapes such as Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, and Grenache.

Take little sips.

When tasting, people should allow the wine to run over the tip of their tongue, across both sides, and underneath. Move the wine around your mouth and breathe air in over the wine to help release more flavors. The tannins of the wine are felt as a ‘dryness’ or grippiness around the gums, highly tannic wines pair well with meat dishes. If tasting at a winery remember to spit so that you can sample many different wines. Underground Cellar suggests keeping a wine diary to take short notes on the various different wines you try. Keep track of the aspects you like about each wine: flavor, tannins, acid, overall texture and feel. In no time at all you will have built up your own database of the styles of wines you like giving you extra conviction when ordering or buying wine. An added bonus is the confidence you will have to try new wines.

Underground Cellar is a groundbreaking online wine marketplace for discovering and buying premium wine that consistently rewards consumers with free upgrades to rare and private-stash bottles from prestigious wineries. Members can increase their chance of being upgraded through a number of ways. For more on Underground Cellar and wine, visit this page.