The look (cont)
Try to ascertain the depth or intensity of the colour. Wines from northern, cooler climates tend to be lighter in colour as wines from hotter more southern climes. Quality wines are more concentrated due to picking at optimum ripeness and low grape harvest yields, and will often be darker in colour as a result.
Determine how transparent the wine is or if in fact it is cloudy. Nowadays, winemakers try to make their wines as transparent, brilliant and reflective as possible. This is the preference of the modern consumer. If the wine is not transparent but is cloudy, or is dull rather than brilliant, it is possible that the wine was either not filtered, or has some kind of bottle sickness. Some winemakers choose not to filter their wines. Wines left deliberately unfiltered are drinkable. Sick wine, on the other hand, should not be drunk.
The Smell (the Nose)
From the look of the wine, we can tell something about it's age, the grape variety, where it was produced, and get the first indications of whether it is still in good shape and drinkable.
First Nose.
As soon as the wine is poured into the glass, stick your nose into the bowl of the glass and take several small sniffs as a large sniff gives your brain too much information too soon.
Your nose must be inside the bowl of the glass. The first nose will give you the very first impressions of the aromas of the wine. These first aromas are the most volatile, those that escape easily from the wine. Trust your first reactions, don't search too hard, there are no wrong answers.
Try to identify families of aromas rather than specifics: words like "fruity" or "floral" or "earthy" are sufficient at this early stage
.The smell (cont)
Second Nose.
Swirl the wine in your glass by placing the glass on the table and holding it by the foot whilst making circular motions with your hand. Providing the wine glass is the right shape, the wine will not come out of the glass.
The swirling aerates the wine, releasing more of its aromas. Put your nose into the bowl of the glass again and take a few small sniffs. If you become saturated and don't smell anything after a time, breathe in the air in the room to cleanse your nasal passages and then sniff the wine again. The French say that this is "le vin fait la queu de paon" "the wine opens the peacock tail).