Optimal wine storage is right around 55°F, excessive heat will wreak havoc on a bottle of wine. You also want to shoot for consistent temperatures, as dramatic temperature fluctuations will also negatively impact a stored bottle of wine. Humidity is another factor to keep in mind when storing wine. A higher humidity level helps to keep the corks from shrinking and allowing oxygen in, resulting in oxidation of the wine. Ideal humidity is between 65-75%.
Serve wine at the proper drinking temperature. Red wine should be served a little bit over 60 degrees F while white wines should be served slightly over 50 degrees F. Try decanting your wines. Decanting young wines can help release the aromas in the wine. Decanting old wines allows the sediment to remain in the wine bottle. Sediment starts to form during the aging process of the bottled wine. You should use a larger wine glass when drinking red wine and when drinking wine at dinner.
1. Look Check out the clarity and opacity
Pour a glass of wine into a suitable wine glass. Then take a good look at the wine. What color is it? Look beyond red, white or blush. If it's a red wine is the color maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish? If it's a white wine is it clear, pale yellow, straw-like, light green, golden, amber or brown in appearance? Is the wine watery or dark, translucent or opaque, dull or brilliant, cloudy or clear? Can you see sediment? Tilt your glass a bit, give it a little swirl. An older red wine will often have more orange tinges on the edges of color than younger red wines. Older white wines are darker, than younger white wines when comparing the same varietal at different ages.
2. Smell
Our sense of smell is critical in properly analyzing a glass of wine. To get a good impression of your wine's aroma, swirl your glass for a solid 10-12 seconds (this helps vaporize some of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aromas) and then take a quick whiff to gain a first impression.
Still Smelling. Now stick your nose down into the glass and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your second impressions? Do you smell oak, berry, flowers, vanilla or citrus? A wine's aroma is an excellent indicator of its quality and unique characteristics.
3. Taste
Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip and let it roll around your mouth. First you will get an initial impression on your palate. Alcohol content, sugar levels, and tannis will give you initial sensations. This will give you the impression of if a wine is sweet or dry. The next phase is the actual taste on the palate. This is when you can start actually start tasting and absorbing the flavors (berry, wood, citrus, floral ect.). The final phase is how long the taste stays on the palate after swallowing, where the aftertaste culminates.