Wine List

First, look straight down into the glass, then hold the glass to the light, and finally, give it a tilt, so the wine rolls toward its edges. This will allow you to see the wine’s complete color range, not just the dark center. It should be vibrant; it's a live product.

Tilt the glass and look through the wine toward the table to measure clarity. You should be able to read through the wine.

Looking down, you get a sense of the depth of color, which gives a clue to the density and saturation of the wine.

A murky wine might be a wine with chemical or fermentation problems.

Take in the aroma. Swirl the wine around in the glass to release the aromas then put your nose to it.

You are seeking out aromas, including berries, oak and citrus.

Floral aromas are particularly common in cool climate white wines like riesling and gewurztraminer.

Some dessert wines smell strongly of honey. Young white wines and young sparkling wines may have a scent very reminiscent of beer. This is from the yeast.

Older wines have more complex, less fruity aromas.

Scents of mushroom, damp earth, leather and rock can exist in many red wines.

The final step is to take a sip of your wine. Take in air as the wine sits in your mouth.

You will encounter a wide range of fruit, flower, herb, mineral, barrel and other flavors. Use your taste buds to determine if the wine is balanced, harmonious, complex, evolved, and complete.