Consider clarity, brilliance and appropriateness of color. Downgrade for haze or opacity. If sparkling, consider persistence of the bubbles and pinpoint size.

Is it pleasant or unappetizing? What specific aromas can you identify? Consider both fruit smells and other aroma qualities that may result from oak or bottle age.

Is it "dry" or sweet? Full-bodied or light? Is it appropriately acidic (sour), tongue-twistingly sour, or lacking acid ("flabby")? Does the flavor seem consistent with the aroma? Does it remind you of any specific fruit or other flavor? Is the flavorappropriate to this wine? Finally, is the "finish" or "aftertaste," the flavor remaining in your mouth after you swallow, short, medium or long in duration?

After the aftertaste has faded, what do you think of the wine overall? Is it pleasant and appealing? Simple or complex? Are all the components in balance. Does it make you want another sip? In short, do you like it?

Your final score, the total of the four elements above, "grades" the wine on your personal report card. This format yields a 20-point maximum, which is traditional for analytical wine tasting. However, if you want to use a 100-point scale similar to that of Robert M. Parker Jr. or The Wine Spectator, simply multiply this figure by 2.5 and add the result to 50. In other words, a rating of 16 on this scale would become a Parker 90.