The 8 S's of Wine Appreciation

4bartenders.com (for bartenders, those who want to be and other scoundrels)

If you ever went shopping for diamonds, there is an easy and memorable way of knowing what to look for ...remember the 4 C's: carat, cut, clarity and cost. I made up something similar to this that is applicable for wine appreciation, tasting and its enjoyment ...remember the 8 S's!

The 8 S's:

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Show: look at and review the wine bottle; learn it's name, where the wine came from, appreciate and note its label for marketing purposes and read any notes and decriptions on the label ...if you are the bartender, you must "present" or show the bottle to your customer before opening it.

See: after the wine is poured into your glass, tilt it slightly and look at the wine's coloring.

Swirl: swirl the wine a little in the glass to help it release its treasures of aromas and flavorings

Smell: smell the aromas and fragerances of the wine's character

Sip: sip into your mouth a comfortable quantity of wine

Swish: swish the wine in your mouth around and about to hit all the taste buds so as to better appreciate its complexity

Savor: pause and savor the wine in your mouth, let your brain gather as much information about it as possible in determining whether or not you like it ...or as to what and what not you enjoy about it.

Swallow: finally, the last S is to swallow it. As the wine exits your mouth and enters the throat you'll get the last tinge of this wonderous alcoholic creation as its last remnants of sensations trail off in its farewell.