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Wine tasting is a mix of art and technique and is performed today by professional specialists, trained in special schools and the rules to follow are fixed by the E.U. rules.
The senses involved are SIGHT (to evaluate not only wine colour, but also its possible turbidity), TASTE and SMELL.

After many years of researches and remembering the ancient experiences about wine, there are many rules to follow regarding the physical conditions of the analyzer, the environment where it makes the test, the glass to be used and the timing of the test series.

The EXPERTS must be in good health conditions, especially for their respiratory tracts and then calm and relaxed.

The ROOM in which perform the test must be at about 18 C, with 60-70 % of moisture, without other smells of every king that could interfere, with the possibility of renewing the air.

The best LIGHT is the solar, because natural, but in the evening, it's necessary to regulate it to a soft level, because the coloured and bright light can stimulate our sight but also deceive and get them tired soon;
the red light makes darker the red or the yellow colour of wine, while the white wine perfume appear more intense.

The best GLASS to taste the wine in the tulip-glass, although specific types of glass exist for every wine category; the E.U. has adopted an official tasting glass.

For SPARKLING WINES, the best glasses are long and narrow, the "flutes", because the reduced surface opened to the air decreases the dispersion of the gas bubbles and the thicker wine layer allows a better analysis of the "perlage", the long bubbles chains; then, the narrow conic bottom of the glass allows a continuous development of the gas.

The TEMPERATURE (T) of the samples is very important; a low T decreases the perfume and enhances the tannin taste while a high temperature doesn't allow to appreciate the perfumes persistence and enhances the sweet taste and the alcoholic component.
So, the best T recommended are a compromise, for the various wines:
- Sparkling wines: 6-10 C
- White wines: 9-13 C
- Rose wines: 12-15 C
- Young red wines: 14-16 C
- Other red wines: 17-20 C

The best HOUR to perform the tests is 60-90 minutes before meals (especially before lunch), because the sensorial organs react better.
When you have to test more wines, some rules must be followed:
- the young wines before the older because with the most intense taste.
- the white before the rose and the red as last, for the same reason
- the coldest wines before the warmest
- the least

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