Wine-tasting is founded on three criteria:
- colour
- fragrance
- taste
One must know:
- the colour divulges part of the wine’s secrets: variety, age, matureness
- lucidity of the colour and limpidity of the wine represent its health barometer
- white wines acquire darker golden shades with the passing of time
- in time, red wines change their colour by brightening up to red with tile-coloured shades
- at least 70% of a wine’s qualities may be perceived through its fragrance
- stirring the wine in the glass helps to emphasise its bouquet and to unfasten its taste
- in order to perceive the full savour of a wine, retain it inside the mouth for a few seconds
- the consistency of the wine, be it light, medium or full, feels as the consistency of skimmed to fat milk
- the taste of a good wine is maintained long after swallowing – this is the highly yearned aftertaste
