Savoring The Grape Next Time You Get Together With Some Friends, Have Your Own Wine Tasting

Whether you are a wine novice or aficionado, a wine tasting is an elegant, educational and fun way to entertain.

Wine can be an intimidating topic. The experts often seem to speak a language that is foreign to many of us. But it’s not difficult to learn about wine. Comparing and discussing wines with your friends at a tasting is a wonderful way to do so.

Which wines to choose?

Wine, of course, is made from grapes, and the variety of grape - such as Chardonnay, merlot or zinfandel - determines taste, color and aroma.

Most American wines are named for the principal grape used in making them. A European wine label can be more difficult to decipher. For this reason, beginners may want to start by tasting American wines.

For an excellent introductory tasting, compare six wines (three white and three red), each made from a different variety of grape.

For the whites, try a sauvignon blanc (look for the current available vintage from Groth, Cakebread Cellars or Frog’s Leap), a Chardonnay (try Chalk Hill, Matanzas Creek or Fisher “Coach Insignia”) and a dry Riesling (Trefethen, Chateau Ste. Michelle or Smith-Madrone).

For the reds, taste a Pinot Noir (Napa Ridge, Saintsbury “Garnet” or Sanford), a merlot (Robert Mondavi Napa Valley, Shafer Vineyards or Chateau St. Jean) and a cabernet sauvignon (Clos du Val, the Hess Collection or Jordan).

Each of these wines is representative of the grape it is named for. The suggested selections are also affordable (prices range from about $6 to $20) and readily available. If you have trouble finding one, ask for a substitution. The staff in a good wine shop should be knowledgeable.

This introductory tasting, ideal for seven or eight people, will provide you with a wonderful overview of several popular and versatile wines.

Serving the wines

Clear crystal wineglasses are best for tasting wines. Cut or colored glasses would prevent you from really seeing the wine, which is an important part of the process. Traditionally, white wine is served in glasses that are a little smaller than those for red, but this distinction is not crucial. In fact, it is common today to serve white and red in either type of glass or in all-purpose goblets.

For the tasting described above, you’ll want three glasses per person. Compare the three whites, wash the glasses, then taste the reds.

Before serving, chill the white wines for 30 minutes to an hour. If the wines are too cold, the taste will be dulled.

Red wine is served at room temperature, but if your home is particularly warm, the wine may need to be chilled slightly. Red wine should be served at a temperature of 50 to 65 degrees.

Fill the wineglasses no more than halfway. Have water and crackers or bread available for clearing the palate between sips.

Once you’ve poured the wines, you are ready to begin. But before you actually taste the wines, there’s a lot you can learn about them.

Appearance

Begin by looking at the wines in the glasses. Hold them up against a white surface, such as a piece of paper. A white wine should be clear, and it will range from almost white to gold. Red wines are purple to red-brown. As a general rule, the deeper the color, the more full-bodied the wine.

Aroma

A wine’s aroma is very telling of its taste and character. Swirl each wine in its glass, then take a deep, gentle whiff.

With your guests, describe the aromas you detect. Start with general terms, such as fruity, spicy, herbal, floral and earthy, then be more specific, even creative. Good wines have complex aromas, which is the reason professional wine tasters use such exotic terms.

Smell each one, then go back and forth among the glasses, comparing the aromas.

Taste

At last it’s time to taste the wines. Take a sip, then allow a little bit of air into your mouth to release the wine’s flavors. Take 10 to 15 seconds to move the wine through your mouth. Different parts of your tongue will register different details.

Ask yourself how the wine tastes and feels. When you swallow, does the flavor linger?

Here are a few things to look for in the wines described above:

In the whites, the sauvignon blanc is light, dry and herbal; the Chardonnay is full-bodied and creamy and has an oaky taste from the barrels it is aged in; the Riesling is fruity and crisp.

As for the reds, the Pinot Noir is fruity and light compared to the others and has a spicy taste; the merlot is more subtle and smooth; the cabernet is more complicated, evoking black currant and dried herbs.

Learning more

Wine-tasting courses are available in many cities, and good books on wine can guide you through more specialized tastings than the one described above. For example, try wines from Italy, Australia or one region of France, or concentrate on one variety of wine as made in different countries.

For a special occasion, try champagne and sparkling wine, which make a tasting particularly festive.

MEMO: Questions should be addressed to Martha Stewart, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10168. Questions may also be sent to Stewart by electronic mail. Her address is: mstewart@msl.timeinc.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Martha Stewart New York Times Syndicate