More Information:
Sight
Smell
Taste
Wine Glasses
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A Wine's Smell or Nose
The smell or nose of wine stimulates the palate as much as tasting, and is the most important one of our senses for enjoying wines. Most of what we taste is in what we smell.
Begin by swirling the wine around gently in the glass, holding it by the stem in order to release the aroma. Twirl the wine around to get it moving. Make sure you practice at home first with water. The point of swirling is to circulate the wine so that it releases its explosive compounds.
Now stick your nose down into the glass and inhale deeply through your nose. Then sniff the wine and concentrate on the smell. Then give the glass a second twirl and put your nose down farther in the glass and sniff more deeply. Some people find that one deep sniff is more rewarding that several sharp short ones. Wine should always smell clean and fresh rather than stale or baked, assuming the wine is in pristine condition. A wine that smells of vinegar is almost certain beyond hope. A musty, moldy smell indicates a "corked" wine, one badly tainted by infected cork. This occurs in one in twenty bottles worldwide.
If you put your nose down, and inhale deeply and get nothing from the glass, could be because your nose needs a few moments rest after a period of concentrated sniffing.
There are many words that can describe what one smells. You may have heard wines described as floral (rose, jasmine, or violet), spicy (pepper, licorice), fruity (lemon, cherry, melon), woody (oak, cedar, vanilla).
The nose of a wine will vary in intensity and distinction according to its age, grape variety, origin and quality and should ALWAYS be free of unpleasant odors.
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