True, the Sommelier's theatricality may deter you from seriously trying to taste wine. Yet, one should try to get over the initial apprehension and give a try to the formal art of wine tasting.

Every gesture of the Sommelier corresponds to crucial steps that mobilize all your senses to fully appreciate a wine: 

The Sight

The aspect of a wine is a precious source of information. Many elements about the wine can be interpreted from the color of the wine or the formation of legs. 

1. A dark and intense color (if you cannot see your hand through the glass for a red, if the wine is golden, yellow, copper…) usually indicates a warm climates. On the other hand, a light wine (light ruby, very transparent for the red, green and silvery for the whites) is associated with cool climate wines. 
2. If the meniscus (border of the rim) of a red wine is lighter than the center of the glass, and shows hints of brick red or orange, the wine shows signs of evolution (age). On the other hand, if the meniscus shows traces of purple, the wine is a young wine. For white wines, the meniscus is harder to read, but the rule of thumb is: a darker brownish rim signifies an older wine. 
3. After coating the glass with the wine (see picture above), if drippings form on the glass (they are called the legs), it indicates that the wine is viscous, and viscosity is increased by the presence of sugar or glycerol in the wine. Glycerol results from the autolysis of the lees, when a wine is matured on its lees for a long time. So a wine that produces a lot of legs may either/or be sweet and rich in glycerol (round, fat, rich wines…)

The Nose

The real pleasure of a wine lies in its nose, in its volatile scents. The main technique to smell a wine is simply to stick your nose in the glass and smell, first a short sniff (the first nose) and then, after a good swirl of the glass, a deeper sniff:

The nose of a wine, especially when it is a good wine, is always complex and multi-layered. The challenge and the pleasure of discovering a wine consists in breaking down the nose of this wine in scents that can easily be identified and recognized. 

The bouquet (the addition of all the scents of a wine) can be described with many words and references: 

aromas and bouquet

The Palate

The palate of a wine refers to the sensation one feels on the tongue, in the mouth and in the throat when swallowing and drinking a wine. 

Main sensations to describe the palate of a wine:

• Acidity or tartness:  Tartaric (Aspirin, Chalk, Chewable Antacid), Malic (Green Apple, Bitter, Sharp, Acrid) Citric (Tangy, Citrus Fruits, Lively) and Lactic (Sour Cream, Yogurt, Soft, Round, Creamy)

• Sweetness: Glucose (Syrupy, Unctuous, Honeyed, Cloying) and Fructose (Lightly Sweet)
• Body: Glycerol/Alcohol/Structure (Light, Medium, Full Bodied)
• Astringency:  Tannins (Tea Bag, Peanut Skin, Sloe)
• Tactile: Hot/Alcohol (Biting, Warmth), Bubbles, CO2 (Sparkling, Spritz, Frothy, Petulant), Prickly (Quinine, Tonic)