Drinking wine is an art that is perfected with time. It requires knowledge, sophistication and heightened senses to enjoy the full experience. But if you have not yet entered the world of wines, do not be deterred. This guide will equip you with all you need to know to hang out with your wine-aficionado friends.

Q. Swirling, smelling...what does it all mean? When I swirl a wine, what exactly am I looking for?

A. If you don’t know don’t do it...The challenge many people have is they either make a feeble attempt to spin the wine and it goes side to side rather than in a circular motion, or worse you spin it out of your glass and ruin you or your friends’ clothes. The key reason for swirling the wine is to inject oxygen into it as it has been in the bottle for some time and typically does not show up the best it can right off the bat. Most people do not tell you that spinning brings the alcohol up onto the sides of the glass – the wine snob technical term is “legs” – allowing you to more easily smell the fruit. The closer the “legs” are together the higher the alcohol content. The easiest way to spin a glass is put one finger on each side of the base of the glass and rotate in a circular motion. Do not try spinning while you are holding the body of the glass. You will look like a nerd and probably worse end up wearing more than you drink that night.

Q. What is the best way to care for a bottle of wine once I buy it? If I buy it during my lunch break, can I leave it in my hot car the rest of the day?

A. Wine is a living organism and should be treated as such. If you know nothing about wine then treat it like you would a gallon of milk. Would you buy it and leave it in a hot car? Temperature and light are killers of wine, particularly heat above 78 degrees and extreme cold. And keep it out of the sun, which will change the complexity of the wine and turn it to vinegar. If you plan to drink the wine shortly after you buy it, put it in a location that is out of the sunlight, does not change temperature by more than 20-25 degrees and never gets above 78 degrees. The ideal cellar temperature is 55 degrees and the ideal serving temperature in the low 60’s. If you are going to age your wine, go buy a $50 or less wine cooler; don’t make the mistake of investing in expensive wine without also investing in its care.

Q. What is a good vocabulary for referring to wine? In other words, arm me with some expressions or terms to pull out at a wine tasting and sound sophisticated.

A. If you do not know what a term means don’t act like you do. Instead, learn basic terms that describe wines you already like to drink. There are a lot of fancy terms out there, but here are some basics.

ACETIC All wines contain acid or vinegar taste. Normally the amount is insignificant and may even enhance flavor. If it contains too much it will make the wine taste flawed.

AROMATIC This is what you smell when you put your nose in the glass. Most wines that are aromatic smell like some form of fruit like bing cherries or flowers.

ASTRINGENT This is the best description for wines with high tannins mostly found in reds. This is that taste in the back sides of your mouth making you pucker.

BALANCE Denotes harmonious balance of wine elements - (ie: no individual part is dominant). Acid balances the sweetness; fruit balances against oak and tannin content; alcohol is balanced against acidity and flavor. Wine not in balance may be acidic, cloying, flat or harsh etc.

BARNYARD When a wine tastes or smells like the earth or a country barn.

BERRY Red wines made in a very ripe, fruit forward style. You will smell and taste fruit more than anything else.

BITTER I think this is self explanatory.

BUTTERY This only describes white wines. The malolactic fermentation process makes the wine finish with a real buttery taste.

CHEWY I like this term. Chewy wines are high in tannins and they feel like you could chew them long after you have swallowed.

CORKED Bad wine. In simple terms, there is something wrong with the wine. This comes from the term that the cork failed and air got to the wine or the wine oxidized.

FLORAL Mostly found in white wines when a wine smells like a bouquet of flowers.

HOT Wines that have a high alcohol content are known as hot. The second sip is normally better than the first.

JAMMY Wine that tastes berry-like.

OAKY Most wines are exposed to oak during their making either from an oak barrel or wood chips. The taste that comes from this is called oaky and smells like fresh split wood. It may also taste like vanilla or tar from the barrels.

PEPPERY Term used for spicy wines. Mostly found in Gewurztraminer among the whites, or in Zinfandels and Syrah’s in reds.

SWEET Sweet is typically found with wines that have a residual sugar left in the wine. Typical sweet whites are White Zinfandel and dessert wines; reds are sometimes referred to as sweet if they are berry-like or fruit-like.

TANNIN This taste is the bitter component of wines and is derived from when the skins and seeds are allowed to stay with the juice during fermentation. This is the main challenge that white drinkers struggle with moving over to red wines.

ABOUT DAVID JOHNDROW

Entering the business world at the age of 21, David Johndrow, founder of Johndrow Vineyards, became fascinated with wine as he realized that the person who knew the most about wine at a business dinner controlled the table conversation and was seen as an expert. This led to an obsession over the next 15 years that culminated in Johndrow Vineyards located in Napa Valley, Calif. Johndrow is an Oklahoma native and, with wife Maryann, makes his home in northwest Oklahoma City.

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