I had good cause to break open a favorite red wine the other day as the news crossewd my computer that my wine column TASTE OF WINE and the feature "How to Really Taste Wine" has surpassed Wine Spectator's version on the video service You Tube. Its' always a good idea to occasionally think about the essence of wine tasting and how to get the most out fo the experience. Anyone can drink wine. You raise the glass and down it goes. But with over 5,000 differwnt wines available and increasing every day, a simple four step guide in measuring the quality of wine goes a long way in determining the quality of a wine choice.I call it the forurpart harmony "S" test. Before gong through the motions, learn abvout the wine from the label. It reveals the vineyard, location, harvest vintage and the winemaker's description of the wine. With a wide-bowled "tulip" designed glass that is clear and not cluttered with design elements, here are the four steps:#1 - SIGHT. After pouring an amount of wine about 1/3 thre size of the glass, view the contents from the top of the glass. The wine should be clear with no sediment. #2 - Swirl. Hold the stem tightly and rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, but not so much as to spill the wine over the top. You are aerating, allowing air to penetrate the wine and release lovely aromas.#3 - Sniff. Get your nose down into the glass and inhale sharply to ingest the "bouquet" or "nose" of the wine. There are over 200 scents attributed to wine. However don't analyze too much. If you just come up with wine, thats' OK too.#4 - Sip. The most enjoyable climax to this four part harmony is the si[ and you might add swallow as another by-product of this last "S" to find wines yhou really love. Slowly allow the liquid to envelope the many taste buds in yoou mouth and tongue. Its' a wild ride fo flavors: fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts, spices, flowers, earth, oak, honey.....( you fill in the rest!).So there it is: sight, swirl, smell, sip. Enjoy!
