These days, most young adults are getting past the frat party scene where the alcohol can range in variety from natty light all the way to the finer and distinguished bud light. While those bold flavors may satisfy some, many people are looking for  healthier and more varied drinking habits, and what better place to start than with a glass of wine? If you consider yourself to be one of these people but not sure where to start, don’t fret! Here is a quick crash course to help you get started on your wine-tasting journey.

When it comes to wine, there are a lot factors that come into play, not to mention the extensive vocabulary that may appear to be daunting especially to novice wine tasters. So where is a good place to start?

Joe Attaway of Gosford Wines, a bottle shop located in Athens specializing in fine wines, suggests first exploring the various wine regions such as France, Italy and Spain. “Regions tend to have similarities within them,” said Attaway.  “So, if you find some wines in certain areas, then it’ll help [your] search a little bit.” But before you step into your local supermarket in search of a great wine, think twice. “You should avoid buying wines at the supermarket and go to a wine store where people are knowledgeable and can help you,” Attaway said. “I see it all the time when I’m in Kroger. . .people staring mostly at a wall of labels trying to figure out wines that looks like it’s good.” Not only will you find better quality wines at a certified bottle shop, but you will also have the benefit of a friendly knowledgeable staff that are not there to intimidate, but instead to help guide and develop your preferences in quality wines.

And if it is price you are worried about, still avoid the grocery store! There are many bottle shops like Gosford Wine that offer great-tasting wines at affordable prices ranging from $9 to $12. But don’t assume that a more expensive wine will ultimately mean a better wine; it mostly depends on the price range when comparing two bottles of wine. “You get a big difference in quality when you can jump from say a $10 bottle to a $20 bottle but the difference between a $20 bottle and a $40 bottle  are going to be more blurred than in the difference in the jump from 10 to 20,” Attaway said.

Now before you step into a bottle shop saying that you prefer sweet wines over dry, it is important to know that although wines can be classified as sweet or dry, these terms are a bit misleading considering most of the table wine that we drink is actually dry. A better way to communicate that you prefer a sweeter tasting wine over a dry one is to say that you enjoy fruitier wines. Also, full-bodied wines tend to have a higher alcohol content and taste sweeter.

Ordering wine to be paired with your meal at a restaurant appears to be a daunting task for wine beginners as well. Attaway suggests a simple solution— ask your server. “Don’t be afraid to let people give you some guidance,” Attaway said. Also, take this opportunity to be adventurous in your wine selection. “Pick a wine that you don’t know anything about or a grape variety that you haven’t heard of because the proprietor probably put that [wine] on there for a reason,” Attaway said.

Once you have selected a wine, tasting and evaluating begins with your basic senses— look, smell and taste. “When you are evaluating red and white wine, you’re going to evaluate them on the same type of characteristics. Aroma, viscosity, balance—those are the key elements really,” Attaway said.

Pour yourself a glass and check the color going past the obvious red, white and blush hues. Is it clear, a golden yellow or amber if it is a white wine, or is it purple, ruby or brownish if it is a red wine? Tilt your glass and check the edges of the wine; older wines will have a slight orange tint than young red wines while older white wines will appear darker in color than young white wines.

Holding it by the stem, gently swirl the wine in your glass to help vaporize some of the alcohol and to release its aromatics. Smell the wine to get a first impression and think about what you are smelling. Most wine connoisseurs can quickly detect the scents of oak, vanilla, flowers or citrus but, do not worry if you cannot initially distinguish these smells.

Finally, taste the wine. How does it feel in your mouth? Is it abrasive or smooth on your palate? The consistency can vary and is described as the body of the wine. Light-bodied wines will have a water-like consistency, medium-bodied will be like milk and full-bodied will have a more cream-like texture. Overall, is the wine sweet, sour or bitter?

Store your opened bottle of wine in a cool, dark spot and avoid areas with extreme hot or cold temperatures, including on top and inside your refrigerator. This goes for white wine, too. Chill your whites right before drinking.

While trying an assortment of wines, make note of which wines you do and do not like and at best, try to explain why. Attaway suggests reading the Wine Lover’s Companion, a small paperback that he says is “more like a dictionary and encyclopedia of wine terms” to help familiarize oneself. Gosford Wine also offers wine tastings every Thursday night at 6 pm where you can try up to six different wines for only $10. So go out, drink up, try not to blow-out your money and soon enough, you will enjoy the finer qualities that wine has to offer.

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