How to Make the Most Out of a Wine Tasting Event

Have you ever been invited to a wine tasting, but turned down the offer because you felt you knew very little about wine or had maybe tried wine before and decided it wasn't for your palate.

It may be time to give wine another chance. Here's why.

More and more research is pointing to evidence that wine is not only good for you, it contains a chemical called reservatrol, which has been proven to have various health benefits. In fact, a biotech startup is even banking on harnessing the power of reservatrol to aid in slowing the negative impacts of such diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

So, here's what you can do the next time you are invited to a wine tasting. Say yes and follow these steps. You can even go out and buy a modestly-priced Cabernet Sauvignon, if you prefer reds, or a Sauvignon Blanc, if you prefer whites, and follow these tasting rules.

First, pour an ample amount of wine in your wine glass. Then, take a deep look at what you see. You're looking for the color. Some experts even suggest holding up your wine glass to a sheet of white paper to observe the color of this fruity nectar.

If you are tasting a Sauvignon Blanc, the colors will range from silvery white with hints of straw-like colors and appear so light that it appears to be able to fly upwards out of the glass. Meanwhile, if you are tasting a Cabernet Sauvignon, you'll witness hearty red colors resembling plums or currants. In other words, color depends on the type of grape used, also known as the varietal, and which techniques were used to age the wines.

Next, we move along to what's called the body of the wine. Here's where you tilt your glass so the wine glides along the sides of the glass. Observe closely to see how the wine trickles downward. A light-bodied wine leaves practically no trace on the glass while a full-bodied wine will fall slowly and leave streaks. When visible streaks are left, this is a phenomenon called legs.

The third step involves what wine connoisseurs call the nose. What types of smells abound from your glass? With that Sauvignon Blanc, you may get a range of apples, melon or gooseberry, while the Cabernet Sauvignon may provide hints of vanilla, black pepper and the oak barrel in which the wine was aged.

Now, here comes the best part: the time where you sip the wine to actually taste it. Because everyone's taste buds are different, not everyone will have the same tastes. To get the maximum function of your taste buds, try holding the wine in your mouth longer than usual and replicate a chewing motion. This will give you true taste impact. Now, relax and notice the flavors. Did they match the scents observed in the nose portion of the tasting?

Take another sip and the flavor may appear more robust, or completely different, than the first time. The manner in which the wine leaves an impression on your palate is called the finish.

Now, that wasn't so bad, was it? Follow these simple steps and you're on your way to enjoying wine with food. As a rule of thumb, white wines can be best paired with white meats, while red wines can be best paired with red meat dishes. However, some varietals of red wines can also go really well with dishes, such as blackened chicken or salmon.

You're now on your way to enjoying a beverage that has been around since Biblical times while also improving your health. Happy tasting!