Our expert ALEX HAMILTON explains the mysteries of tasting wine.

The vital statistics of a good bottle.

This month's column is dedicated to applying a fun, yet straightforward approach to tasting and evaluating wine in three simple steps.

The main thing is to enjoy yourself but if at all possible try to involve as many people as possible when tasting, such as family or friends, as it makes for so much more fun.

My only rule is that the glasses used for tasting must be really clean and are of a design that taper towards the top, as this style of glass helps to concentrate and focus the aroma of the wine being tasted.

Step 1: Pour a small amount of wine into the glass and tilt the glass at an angle. Look at the rim of the wine against a white background. If the wine is a young red, the rim should normally be a purple colour but if the wine is older then expect red, mahogany or even brown if the wine is quite old. What you are looking for is that the wine is in good condition and should look clean and bright. If not then there is something wrong.

Step 2: Swirl the wine gently as this will help to release the flavours. Take a sniff. The wine should smell pleasant and clean displaying its varietal characteristics. However, if you detect any unusual aromas, for example, a musty smell (cork taint) then the wine should be rejected.

Step 3: The moment you have all been waiting for! Take a mouthful but not too much as you need to swish the wine around your mouth for all the parts of the mouth to taste the wine.

You should now be able to detect if the wine is sweet or dry and has any acidity.

Acidity helps to give a wine balance, which is noticeable as it makes the mouth water.

After assessing the colour, smell and taste of the wine you should now be in a position to judge for yourself if the wine is of reasonable quality or not.

Below are some common terms used when tasting:

Weight: the overall feel of the wine in the mouth.

Tannin: makes the mouth feel dry.

Length: is how long the flavour lingers in the mouth after swallowing, the longer the better.

Fruit: The overall taste of fruit in the mouth. The greater level of fruit usually indicates a better quality wine.

Wine of the month

Errazuriz Estate Merlot 2004 Tesco £5.99

Chile can offer some of the best value for money wines around. This wine from the Curico valley is reasonably well made, displaying a rustic character with wild red fruits. The wine is full bodied with moderate tannin and is great for drinking now but can be kept for up to a year.

Read more from Alex at his website: www.redwinereview.me.uk