The ritual of wine tasting begins with the 5 S's. See, Swirl, Scent, Sip, Savor. The Visual starts with the first two S's, See and Swirl, although the Swirl can be optional.

What are we supposed to see when we look at a wine?

Basically we are looking for clues as to what the wine might taste like. For instance:

• Is it clear, bright, dull, or muddy?
• What color is the wine?
• How much body will this wine have?

Let's go through the questions.

Is it clear, bright, dull, or muddy? Purpose: Check the radiance to see if the wine is good. First, let's make the assumption you are using a clear wine glass. I generally hold the glass of wine at eye level and simply look at the wine. The wine should always be bright (brightness is the term most commonly used), not dull or muddy. If it is dull and cloudy or muddy, you may have a bad bottle of wine. Muddy may mean it's an old bottle of wine and may just have sediment, which is ok.

I've always felt that "brightness" is not the right adjective because dark, inky, red wines are not bright. I think "radiance" is a better word. Dark wines, just like rubies or garnets can have excellent radiance too.

What color is the wine? Purpose: Indications for the age, grape varietal, and in whites, an oaked or late harvest wine. As above, simply look at the wine and note the color and it's intensity. For whites they will range from a very pale yellow; youngest, to a deep honey gold; possibly oaked and/or mature, to brown; may be past its prime. Whites gain color as they age.

For reds age is better determined by the "rim variation" or "meniscus", but in general, deep dark reds or purples are generally younger, moving onto the ruby and rose color reds for more aged wines, to a brown red color indicating maturity. Color can also determine the varietal. Again, in general, a pinot noir will be less intense and a lighter color than a Shiraz or Zinfandel. Reds lose color as they age.

For red wines (this is not particularly useful for whites) - Now tilt the glass at a 45 degree angle look at the wine from the center to the edges. Note the gradient color at the edges. The rim can be purple, to ruby, to pink, to brown. The more intense the color, the younger the wine.

Both reds and whites turn brown with age. Brown is BETTER in reds and not so good in whites.

How much body will this wine have? Purpose: Determine viscosity and the body of the wine. In general, the more viscosity and alcohol a wine has, the more body the wine will have. This is where I throw in the 2nd "S", swirl. So give the wine a good swirl, then hold the glass still. Take note of the formations of drops on the sides of the wine glass. These are called the "legs" of the wine.

• How fast are they falling? If they are falling fast, the wine is higher in viscosity and therefore higher in alcohol. If they fall slow and syrupy, then the wine is lower in viscosity and alcohol.
• How many are there? The more legs there are, then there is more viscosity and alcohol in this wine.
• How thick are the legs? Thick legs indicate a lower viscosity and alcohol.

Oh, on a side note. Currently an average level of alcohol in a bottle of wine is between 13.5% to 14%. 20 years ago, the average was between 12% to 12.5%. Alcohol is good for the body of wine, but can mask or obscure the aromas and flavors of a wine. The wine might loose its flavor nuances and complexity. Just something to think about.