The Nose

Once you've had a look at the wine in your glass, give it a swirl and have a good sniff. Swirling about the wine in the glass makes the aromas much more intense and is definitely worth doing.

You'll find that most wines have an immediately fruity aroma. Things like blackcurrants, cherries, plum are common in reds. In white wine you might find aromas of lemon, lime, apple and/or pineapple. However, beyond this there are other more unusual flavours you might not expect to find – honey, asparagus, hazelnut and butter are all relatively common flavours in whites. In red, aromas such as earth, tobacco, violets and coffee are found.

This might also be the time you find a fault in the wine. Be wary of a moldy, wet cardboard smelling wine – unsurprisingly, this is not a good sign!

Taste and smell are so closely linked that a great deal of pleasure can be gained from smelling a wine alone. Indeed, grape brandies such as Cognac are enjoyed more for their smell than taste.