It is okay to cheat a little

Essential Wine Tasting Guide is a handy little tool for those of us who are not sure about our tasting abilities. Sandra Silfven has a nice column about it in The Wine News section of the The Detroit News, titled "Aussie's wine cheat sheet puts the right words in your mouth."

"Written for the American wine taster (though versions for six other world markets are available, and six more are in the works), it compiles standardized words to describe color (including a palette); tactile descriptors (acidity, tannins, etc.); flavor descriptors; wine faults; points for scoring wine; a temperature serving guide; and general descriptors for all common wine varieties grown in this country."

This is the first time I came across her column but apparently she has a new column every Thursday. It may be worth checking out every once in a while.