4 Steps to Tasting Wine:

1: LOOK. Give your glass of wine a visual inspection in neutral light. Check out the color, opacity and viscosity.

2: SMELL. Identify aromas by swirling your wine 3 or 4 times to let the aromatic compounds of the wine mix with the air. Think big to small. Ask yourself are there fruits? What kind of fruits? Tropical? Orchard?

• You can divide the aroma of a wine into three separate categories: Primary Aromas are where you find fruit, herb and floral notes. Secondary Aromas originate from winemaking practices (fermentation, etc). And Tertiary Aromas come from aging, usually in a bottle or an oak barrel. These aromas are mostly nutty, vanilla, baking spices and cedar.

3: TASTE. Assess the taste structure of the wine. Is it sour, sweet, bitter? Pay attention the the texture of the wine. We perceive wine as richer than water and we can also detect tannins with our tongues, which is that drying sensation you get from dry red wines. When tasting wine, there is a beginning, middle and end finish, so focus in on how the wine tastes as it moves through your mouth.

4: THINK. What conclusion have you drawn about the wine? Was it unique or memorable? Were there any characteristics that stood out to you?

Let's put the 4 steps to the test.

2016 Curtain Call

1. LOOK. Deep purple color. Saturation and density are heavy and is full-bodied.

2: SMELL. Heavy dark orchard fruit. Primary aroma of black cherry and tertiary aromas of vanilla.

3: TASTE. Pitted fruits and blackberries. Silky smooth beginning and mid-palate, finishes bone dry.

4: THINK. The deep and dark fruits are complimented by a slight vanilla aroma and flavor which balances the flavors. Perfect wine to pair with performing arts, or any reason for a curtain call.

Don't gamble on a cute label at the grocery store: keep your wine rack stocked with your favorite small producer!

Cheers!