Serve the whites lightly chilled but not too cold as this masks the aromas. Reds should be at room temperature and, if possible, opened one hour beforehand - longer if they are more serious wines. Always taste from white to red, from dry to sweet and from young to old. Allow ten minutes per wine and approach your tasting as follows:

Sight
Tilt the glass against your white background and look at the wine. See if it is clear with no obvious haze and comment accordingly. Check the color - in whites it can go from almost water white to deep straw yellow, depending on style and age, and in reds from light cherry red, through deep ruby to almost mahogany brown. Note a color and see if it changes between the core (centre) and the rim - this is often an indication of age.

Nose
Give the wine a swirl (that's why you didn't fill your glass) and a good sniff. Does it smell clean - fresh, floral or fruity, honeyed, earthy, stalky, vegetal, oily - these are all characteristics of different wine styles, which you will learn and identify as you progress. Watch out for acrid aromas, sour or vinegar style, excessive mustiness that can indicate a wine is out of condition, corked or simply past its best. Many mature quality wines can assume very complex aromas which take time to understand and appreciate, so start with young fresh varietals and work up from there.

Taste
Taste the wine, swirl it around your mouth, swallow a fraction and spit the rest (you can enjoy a drink after the tasting). The first discernible factor is whether it is dry, off dry or sweet on the finish. This requires a little practice as fruit concentration or ripeness can sometimes be confused with sweetness.

The next important consideration is acidity. All wines require acidity as otherwise they will taste flat or flabby. Acidity is that prickle you get on the side or your tongue after you swallow - a type of drool. It should be there, so comment on it. Tannins are present and are a vital component of red wines. These are generally noticed on the gums and roof of the mouth and have a drying effect. Try a sip of cold black tea to demonstrate a tannic effect.

Fruit is next and should be there in abundance. It could be gooseberry or green apples in a Sauvignon, tropical and pineapple in a ripe Chardonnay, soft blackberry and cedar in a mature Cabernet etc.

What you find is what you get and your description is important to you alone as it will help you to identify the varietal in future tastings. Drawing in a little air before spitting highlights the alcohol content of the wine and can merit comment if pronounced.