BY PAUL GREGUTT

So, want to learn how to taste and evaluate a glass of wine like an expert? Easy. Follow our wine tasting tips below—but before you start sipping, make sure you’re in the right tasting environment. Here’s what that means:

Good Tasting Conditions

First things first: Make note of the circumstances surrounding your wine tasting experience that may affect your impressions of the win. For instance, a noisy or crowded room makes concentration difficult. Cooking smells, perfume and even pet odor can destroy your ability to get a clear sense of a wine’s aromas. A glass that is too small, the wrong shape, or smells of detergent or dust, can also affect the wine’s flavor.