1.  Enjoy
2.  Relax 
3.  Don't worry

Rule 1 - Enjoy.  Take a deep breath and open your mind to the world of wines that awaits you.  Enjoy the experience. 

Rule 2 - Relax.  You're with friends. And don't hesitate to ask questions. 

Rule 3 - Don't worry.  Remember rule one - enjoy.  At Copp Winery, we will help you each step of the way so you can awaken your senses while you discover what you like or dislike about a wine. 

Step 1 - Look at the wine.  Why?  To examine the color.  Is it clear or hazy, transparent or opaque? White wines may range from green to yellow to brown. More color in a white wine usually indicates more flavor and age, although a brown wine may have gone bad. Where as time improves many red wines, it ruins most white wines. Red wines are not just red; they range from a pale red to a deep brown red, usually becoming lighter in color as they age. Tilt the glass slightly and look at the edge ("rim") of a red wine. A purple tint may indicate youth while orange to brown indicates maturity.  Swirl the wine to observe the body of the wine. "Good legs" may indicate a thicker body and a higher alcohol content and/or sweetness level.

Step 2 - Smell.  Why?  To contemplate the aroma.  Much of what we think is taste really comes through our noses.  Swirl the wine, exposing it to more oxygen, to release molecules in the wine allowing you to smell the aroma (or "bouquet" or "nose"). Take one deep whiff or take a quick whiff, form an initial impression, then take a second deeper whiff .  What did you smell?  Take your time.  For novices, it may be difficult to describe in words, but after trying many wines you will notice similarities and differences.  Sometimes a certain smell will be very strong with underlying hints of other smells.  The scents of wine come from several sources. The fruity smell of young wines comes directly from the grapes, with woody and other organic aromas added if the wine was aged in oak.  Fine, aged wines add the most complex (and sometimes un-winelike) scents as the result of gradual chemical reactions in the wine.

Step 3 - Taste.  While you won't ask why, there is a how.  The initial taste will give the first impression.  Savor the taste, sloshing the wine around in your mouth and draw in some air, feeling the body and texture of the wine. Is it light or rich? Smooth or harsh? Aftertaste: The taste that remains in your mouth after you have swallowed the wine is also referred to as a wine's "finish". How long did the taste last? Was it pleasant?  The most important quality of a wine is its balance between sweetness and acidity.  After tasting the wine, take a moment to value its overall flavor and balance. Is the taste appropriate for that type of wine?

The more different wines you try, and the more attention you pay to each wine, the better you will become at ascertaining and describing each wine's characteristics.