The Sniff Factor

I see people do it all the time. They stick their nose in their wine glass and take one giant breath, believing this to be the best way to evaluate a wine’s aroma. This is actually the least effective way to detect a wine’s scents which, of course, are a critical part of its taste and pleasure. The nose acclimates quickly to aromas, so the best results are achieved by using a series of short, quick inhalations. Imagine a hound dog’s nose twitching as he sniffs out a scent on the trail, and well, you’ve got the right idea.