Sight, swirl, smell and sip. These are the four basic steps to wine tasting, but what are you actually looking for when you do these steps? Here is a basic guide to wine drinking and tasting.

When you are first trying a new wine, pour a small amount into a glass and tilt it at an angle. Colour typically is a good indication of the age of the wines. As red wine ages, you will see hints of reddish-brown around the edges. White wines become more golden as they age.

Next, swirl the wine in the glass, which allows oxygen to flow through the liquid. Once you have done this, raise the glass to your nose and inhale, taking in the scent of the wine. Smell and taste are very closely connected and the smell of each wine varies.

Tasting is the final step. Take a small sip and allow the flavors of the wine to touch your palette. Determine if the wine is sweet or dry, tart or acidic, or identify certain flavours that were used to make the wine.