Sight: Look at the wine in the glass. Many clues about the wine you are about to taste lie in the color, clarity and possible presence of carbonation or noticeable sediment.

Swirl: Swirl the wine in the glass. Look at the visual clues, aerate the wine and bring out its aromas.

Sniff: Sniff the wine in the glass, taking several short, deep sniffs. Think about the aromas. Do they remind you of anything?

Sip: Sip the wine and make a chewing motion with your mouth, coating the areas inside your mouth and around your tongue. Think about how it feels, where you taste it first and where you taste it most intensely on your tongue and palate.

Spit: In order to maintain a clear head and maintain the ability to make assessments by smelling and tasting, you should spit during tasting sessions.

Evaluation Chart
Download and print our Wine Evaluation Chart to aid you as you taste different wines. Simply circle the words that apply to the clarity, bouquet, body and finish of a wine without having to come up with terms like “a hint of minerality” or “a buttery chardonnay” on your own.