How do you judge a wine?

Let your senses be your guide. Here are a few tips on what to look for and pay attention to during the tasting process.

Color
Notice the color of the wine. The best way is to tilt your glass so the liquid is at an angle, then look at it against a white background like a tablecloth. A garnet color in a red can indicate age. In whites, a deeper yellow may indicate barrel fermentation or aging in oak. Also pay attention to the texture of the wine by noticing the "legs" that trickle down. Slower legs indicate higher alcohol or sugar levels but do not indicate quality.

Bouquet or Aroma
To release a wine's aroma, hold the glass at the base and gently swirl the wine inside the bowl to coat the sides. Then lift the glass to your nose and inhale deeply, taking note of what scents strike you immediately. One good whiff should evoke distinct aromas - of vanilla, herbs, citrus, tobacco or nectarines, for example. Trust your first impressions; they're more reliable than subsequent sniffs.

Palate
Take a generous sip and swirl it around your mouth, letting it reach all parts of the mouth and tongue, so you can detect each taste and flavor. If you want to intensify the flavors and enhance the interpretation, suck a little air in through the mouth while tasting. The peak tasting moment is just before you swallow (or, if you're at a professional tasting, just before you spit the wine out), when the vapors hit your upper nasal passages.

Pay attention to the weight of the wine in your mouth; that will tell you whether it's light-, medium- or full-bodied. Notice how much sweetness, acidity, alcohol and tannin the wine contains. Do all these elements harmonize pleasantly?

Finish
There are two things to take note of after the wine is swallowed: what flavors remain in the mouth, and how long they remain. This is known as the finish. A really great wine will have a long, complex finish which adds to the original taste.
 

Wine has its own specialized vocabulary, which can be intimidating to the uninitiated. This glossary will help demystify the subject (and give you some fun terms with which to impress your friends the next time you're tasting).

Acidity
Acid is present in all grapes, and therefore all wines. A certain amount of acidity is desirable. It makes a wine crisp and refreshing, gives support to the aftertaste, and aids in preservation.

Balance
A harmonious combination of a wine's elements: acids, tannins and fruit.

Brilliant
Denotes clarity in a wine. Usually a desirable attribute. A wine should not be cloudy but if unfiltered sometimes has small particles floating in the wine, which is not a fault.

Buttery
Exactly what it sounds like. Often used to describe Chardonnay.

Complex
Refers to a wine that is both rich and deep, with many layers of flavors that are balanced and well-integrated. The greatest compliment a wine can be paid.

Depth
Describes a wine's complexity and the richness of its flavors. A wine with depth fulfills the promise of its first impression.

Earthy
Earthiness is good when it describes a clean, complex smell and taste that reminds one of fresh garden soil; and bad when used to indicate a funky, livestock/farm-like character.

Elegant
Describes lovely, well-balanced wines-graceful and refined, but not necessarily full-bodied.

Fat
Luscious, full-bodied and mouth-filling. A good thing, especially in a late-harvest dessert wine.

Finish
The lasting impression, or aftertaste, of a wine on the palate. A long, complex finish is desirable.

Firm/Good Grip
Means the tannins are prominent yet well-balanced by the wine's fruit and/or acidity.

Fleshy
A soft, smooth texture with low tannins.

Flinty
A stony or mineral-like character often used to describe Sauvignon Blanc and French Chablis.

Floral
Tasting and/or smelling of flowers.

Oaky
What wine smells and/or tastes like after it's been aged in oak barrels. Oak contributes vanilla, spice and toast notes to a wine. Most of the world's greatest reds (and many of the greatest whites) are aged in wood before bottling.

Rich
Denotes opulent, full (but not necessarily sweet) flavors.

Robust
Intense and full-bodied, with strong aromas and flavors.

Round
Smooth and full in the mouth.

Tannins
A natural substance found in grapes (and black tea, among other things), tannins produce a dry, puckering sensation in the mouth. Most tannins mellow as wine ages (some tannins are not water soluable and they never go away). Some tannin can be a good thing, but too much is undesirable.

Toasty
A flavor imparted by the oak of barrels and the "toast" level of the barrels (barrels are put over a fire to give the inside a light, medium or heavy toast).

Velvety
A silky, lush tactile impression found in the best Burgundies and Pinot Noirs.