By Scarlett C.

1. Observe 觀察

To observe the color and the transparency of the wine, you can place the wine on top of a piece of white paper, it can help to reflect the true color of the wine. For red wine, the color will vary from brick red, orange red to dark brown, they will not be transparent even if they are old enough. Different varieties have different transparency, for instance, Cabernet Sauvignon is dark red even when they are young, therefore the color will be nearly brown when matured . Pinot Noir is quite light red, so they will not be very brown when they get old. 

The color of white wine  varies from nearly transparent to honey color. Take Sauvignon Blanc as an example, it is nearly colorless when young, and after some years it will turn to lemon yellow, banana yellow. 

觀察葡萄酒嘅顏色，通透程度。先放係張白紙上面，用意係可以反映葡萄酒真實嘅顏色。紅酒嚟講，陳年愈耐，顏色會由磚紅，橙紅，到接近深啡色，亦都冇咁通透。比較年輕嘅酒，會偏向紅寶石，石榴紅或者黑加侖子汁嘅色，望落共亦通透好多。唔同品種嘅葡萄，佢本身顏色深淺程度都要留意，例如Cabernet Sauvignon本身係隻好深色嘅酒，年輕時嘅佢閒閒地都有血紅色嘅程度，所以到老個時，可以去到接近啡色都唔出奇。不過Pinot Noir 本身顏色就好淺，好通透，你係張紙寫字，上面都會睇到。所以佢陳年後都唔會去到啡色。

白酒個色就由接近透明, 到蜜糖色都有，以Sauvignon Blanc為例，年輕時佢通透到接近透明，但陳年後顏色會加深至檸檬黃，香蕉嘅黃色。

2. Smell 聞

Same as perfume, wine also has a front, middle and last taste. So many people like to not stop swirling the glass, but that’s wrong. Because too much swirling let more connect with wine and air, and express the aroma faster. The correct way is to stand still for a while, and smell it without swirling the glass. The layer is the front taste at this time, such as flower, fruit, mineral etc., the type of terroir. Put it down, take a rest for the nose, swirl 3-4 times, smell it again, this time is the middle of aroma, such as yogurt, nut etc. The last layer comes from the barrel, such as caramel, vanilla, smoky, leather etc. (I love this part the most!) 

同香水一樣, 葡萄酒都可以分前中後段。好多人一嚟就拎起個酒杯係咁搖，方死唔知你飲緊紅酒咁，但其實做法不可取。因為搖杯動作係希望加速酒同空氣接觸，從而釋出更多香氣。但過分搖杯有機會令酒中香氣好快比你chur乾咗。所以正確方法係: 先靜置酒杯一陣，慢慢拎起隻杯，乜都唔做嘅情況下聞。呢層就係酒最面層嘅香氣，以花香，水果，礦物為主嘅風土味。放下，比個鼻唞一唞，搖3-4下，再聞，呢次係中層嘅香氣，諸如乳酪，堅果等釀製時嘅味道。最後一層係木桶熟成出嚟嘅香氣，焦糖，雲呢嗱，煙燻，皮革之類 (小編最愛呢部份!)

3. Taste 飲

What’s the stimulation from wine? Acidity? Sweet? Bitter? Does the wine has tension? How long does the taste last? Do you feel dry?

係口中感受下酒比你嘅刺激。酸? 甜? 苦? 酒精感重嗎? 有冇張力? 味道留在口中耐唔耐?飲完會唔會分泌好多口水? 飲完會唔會好乾，好澀?

4, 5. Thinking, Writing 諗,寫

That’s no right or wrong. Taking more notes, you will realize which part of aroma you are not familiar with. 

呢個係最燒腦嘅環節。認到咩就寫咩，冇分對與錯。做多咗筆記你會發現自己對邊啲氣味最敏感，或者邊啲氣味最唔識形容。咁就知道可以向邊方面改善。

Key Words: 

Tannin: Low- Medium- High, 即係口中有冇好澀好乾嘅感覺

Acidity: Low- Medium- High

Body: Light- Medium- Full, 即有有冇張力係口, 啲味可以係口留幾耐, 好似飲脫脂奶同全脂奶個分別

How to train up your nose 如何訓練你的嗅覺:

Smell everything. I am serious! There are numerous types of smells. Apart from food and fruit, you may smell the patrol when you refill the fuel, smell the dry seafood when you walk on Des Voeux Road West, smell the stone and glass when you hike. Remember these aromas, you need to pair them when you are doing wine tasting. Drink more in a serious manner. Every time you drink wine is the training. You can do it mate!

乜都聞一餐，完。

唔好似為我吹水，真係要聞得多，先知道世界上有咁多種氣味 (狗仔肯定對住我恥笑緊)。除咗食物，水果氣味。揸車入油可以聞下汽油味; 行山可以聞下石頭，草青味; 玩緊皮革與趣班可以聞下塊皮味; 去海味街辦年貨可以聞乾貨味。呢啲素材一定要記住，放入你腦入面嘅百子櫃。到品酒嘅時候拎出嚟對。

認真地飲多啲。一大班人飲酒都係志在開心，唔會特別留意酒嘅味道。如果你想自己嘅品酒技術有進步，就千萬唔好放棄呢啲機會，一兩隻味道點都搵得到。訓練得多到真係要品酒嘅時候就手到拿來。加酒呀各位入坑嘅朋友！