I think I better equip myself with more knowledge if I'm offered a four figure (or maybe of lower value, that is IF I can tell the difference...) bottle of wine.... otherwise I may offend the host..
Pick this up from e-how :
http://www.ehow.com/how_2302340_describe-wines-body.html
- Step 1
Sip the wine slowly and slowly move the wine in your mouth so that it is touching the different taste buds in your mouth.
- Step 2
Use words like "smooth" and "round" to describe a wine if it has little acidity. If there are higher levels of acidity, describe it as "crisp". Adjectives like "flat" and "dull" have the lowest levels of acidity.
- Step 3
Take note of how heavy or thick the wine feels in your mouth. If it is heavy, the body of the wine is described as "full bodied" . "Light", "medium", or "full" are also terms to further describe the body of the wine.
- Step 4
Don't forget that the fullness of the body does not necessarily describe the intensity of the wine. The flavor intensity of the wine does not correlate with the body of the wine.
What about the bouquet ?...
- Step 1
Consider the wine's aroma. The aroma is the scent of the grapes themselves. A Reisling, for example, has an "apple" aroma, while a Pinot Noir has a "cherry" aroma.
- Step 2
Smell the bouquet of the wine. The barrel and length of time a wine is aged, can cause the wine to develop a smell of chocolate, vanilla, caramel or coffee. When describing a white
wine , consider that it's aged for less time and is more likely to have the smell of caramel or vanilla. A darker wine has a deeper bouquet, such as coffee.
- Step 3
Use words like "brilliant" and "clean" to describe the look of the wine. These words also describe a wine with smells that aren't offensive, and apply to white or sparkling wines. "Cloudy" describes a wine that has a dull appearance and smells old, or like the cork.
- Step 4
Describe the overall smell of a red wine that has a full body aroma but lacks any finesse to its taste with a word like "broad." Label a sweet white wine with no acidity to its scent as "cloying."
Now I know this is how the experts does it....
- Step 1
Bring the glass down to a normal level and, while holding the stem, swirl the glass rapidly. This will increase the surface area of the wine by allowing it to move up the sides of the glass. This also helps to release the volatile chemicals of the wine into the air.
- Step 2
Stop swirling. Insert your nose into the glass and inhale by taking quick, full sniffs. Some people prefer to take short sniffs, some prefer to just stick their nose in and leave it there for a while. Determine any off-odors, identify any
grape aroma and rank the strength of the aroma. - Step 3
Analyze the aroma further. Try to detect the smell of fruity or floral notes. Decide what they remind you of if possible. Next, note the presence of spices, such as pepper, anise, cinnamon, vanilla, tea or possibly nuts. Finally, note the presence of other aromas, such as cedar, oak, dust, moist earth, herbs, chocolate, tobacco, toastiness, smoke, tar, mushrooms, red meat, grass, hay, or asparagus.
- Step 4
Sip a small amount of wine and move it over your entire tongue so that all your taste buds come in contact with it. The trick to tasting wine is to allow the aromas of the wine to enter your nasal passageway at the back of your throat. Some people pucker their lips and suck in a small amount of air through the wine. Others find it easier to chew the wine as if it were food. Both of these methods will force the aromas of the wine through the nasal passage and will increase your experience of the wine.
- Step 5
Note how long the flavors remain in your mouth after you've swallowed the wine. This is called length. Some wines can have up to one minute of length. Also be aware of any overbearing presence of alcohol. A wine should have enough balance that you're barely aware of the alcohol in it.
- Step 1
Look for a very light shade of straw-toned color in white
wines such as chardonnay and white Riesling. For semillon and sauvignon blanc, look for a more definite yellow color. For sweeter wines, look for a more golden color. - Step 2
Note colors of red
wines range from pink to different tones of purple. Rosés are usually medium pink. A brown tinge in a rosé is usually not desirable. Red wines range from "medium red" to "high red." A purple could indicate a young wine or a particular variety of grape. - Step 3
Check for clarity of the wine. Notice if the wine is clear and free of suspended material - this is termed a brilliant wine. Some descriptions to use include brilliant, clear, dull, and cloudy. Dull indicates haziness, and cloudy indicates heavy amounts of suspended material.
- Step 4
As a beginner, focus on unwanted smells such as yeast, wood, mold, sulfur dioxide, oxidation (brackishness), acetic acid (vinegar) and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg).
- Step 5
Taste for sweetness or dryness. An acid bite indicates the vitality of the wine. Taste for excessive tannins (bitter and rough)and for vinegar flavor, which is usually not desirable.
- Step 6
Note boldness, fullness and richness while tasting. These tend to indicate a wine with good body.
Smelling and Initial Tasting
Judging
The guys at Crystals having been imparting all the right stuff to us, after having bought so many bottles with them (and the many more from bottle-shops and supermarket) ... they know their wine and their characteristics and they don't call their bluff....
Got to ask them which four figure wine taste 'velvety'....
