| Becoming an expert on wine means more than | | | | likes and dislikes and preferences. Writing down |
| just learning the names of grape varieties and | | | | your thoughts and feelings about the wine gives |
| bottle labels. Wine is all about flavour. Enjoying and | | | | you a reference for the future and allows you to |
| appreciating wine involves harnessing our senses. | | | | chart your progress. |
| Wine is about taste and smell and stimulating our | | | | Taste regularly |
| pleasure centres. Just as with any area we want | | | | Use every glass of wine you have as a reason to |
| to be become expert in, we have to develop our | | | | practice your skills. How does it smell? What notes |
| critical faculty and discipline our senses. Here are | | | | can you identify? What is its color? How does it |
| four tips that will lead you to greater knowledge | | | | taste? Really think about it. Don't just drink it, |
| of all things grape. | | | | taste it. |
| Train your nose | | | | Taste with friends |
| Use your sense of smell as much as possible in a | | | | Why not make wine tasting a social event. Wine |
| deliberate way. Practise with different kinds of | | | | should be enjoyed in company and this is a great |
| fruits. You will be training your sense to be more | | | | way to both develop your hobby and mix with |
| discriminating. Like a muscle it will get stronger | | | | friends. If you can find people share your |
| with exercise. | | | | enthusiasm for grape juice all the better. Meeting |
| Keep a log | | | | regularly or semi-regularly is a good enough |
| When tasting wines why not make a note of | | | | reason to club together and enjoy some fine |
| your impressions about it? This will help your | | | | bottles. |
| memory of it as well as help you identify your | | | | |