How to Taste Wine: The 5 S’s (See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, Savour)

They are five steps, in order: See (look at the colour and clarity against a white background), Swirl (rotate the glass to release the aromas), Smell (put your nose in and note what it reminds you of), Sip (take a small mouthful and notice sweetness, acidity, tannin, body, and flavour), and Savour (pay attention to the lingering finish and form an overall impression). The framework simply gives beginners an order in which to slow down and pay attention, which is all that tasting wine really is.

Swirling exposes the wine to air, which releases its aromatic compounds so you can smell much more of it. Since most of what we perceive as flavour actually comes from aroma, this makes a real difference to how much you taste, it is not just for show. Gently rotate the glass on a table surface (easier than swirling in the air) for a few seconds before smelling. You may also see "legs" run down the glass afterward, which relate loosely to alcohol and sugar content but are not an indicator of quality.

When you sip, focus on a few building blocks: sweetness (is it dry or sweet?), acidity (does it make your mouth water, like a lemon?), tannin (the drying, grippy feeling in reds, like strong tea), body (does it feel light or full and rich in the mouth?), and the flavours themselves (fruit, spice, oak, earth). Then notice the finish, how long the taste lingers after you swallow. These structural elements let you describe and compare any wine, regardless of whether you can name specific grapes or regions.

Not at all. Wine tasting is just paying attention in a simple order, and there are no wrong answers, whatever a wine reminds you of is valid. You do not need to identify obscure flavours or memorise regions to get real enjoyment and to develop your palate. The 5 S’s are a beginner-friendly framework precisely because they require no prior knowledge: you simply look, swirl, smell, sip, and reflect. The more you do it, especially comparing wines side by side, the more you will naturally notice, but you can start tasting meaningfully today.

Tannin is the drying, slightly grippy or astringent sensation you feel mostly in red wines, similar to the feeling of over-steeped black tea puckering your mouth. It comes from grape skins, seeds, and oak barrels, and it gives red wine structure and ageing potential. Wines high in tannin (like a young Cabernet Sauvignon) feel firm and drying, while low-tannin wines (like most whites and light reds) feel smoother. Noticing tannin, alongside acidity, sweetness, and body, is one of the key things that helps you describe and compare red wines.