Watch this very cool and informative video about wine tasting:

Examples:

It really is true: there are only two kinds of wine--the wine you like and the wine you don't like. What a relief! There are very few objective rights and wrongs, despite what some wine critics might have you believe. With that in mind, relax. Call up some friends and have yourselves a fun evening of casual wine tasting. No need to get uptight about it.
It's only grape juice, after all. 

Keep in mind, if you are interested in hosting a formal tasting, there are sites a-plenty that can give you ideas and suggestions. Here, we are suggesting a tasting in a convivial, friendly and casual atmosphere. 

                          What you'll need                                 What you might need
               Clear glasses with a 12 oz. capacity.             Notepads, tasting note cards, pens 
               Wines--no more than six                             Dump buckets 
               Snacks--cheeses and crackers are nice 

In general, you'll want to start with drier, lighter wines and move toward more full-bodied wines. This usually means whites first, followed by reds. Save any sweeter or dessert wines for the end. Serve your whites chilled, but not cold--between 55-60 degrees. Serve reds about 5 degrees warmer than the whites. Pour yourself just 1-11/2 ounces of wine. Remember, you're tasting SIX, so plan accordingly. 

 
Hold your glass up to a white light or against a white background, such as a cloth napkin. How does it look? Note the color and clarity. Tilt the glass and slowly turn it, letting the wine "wash up" the sides of the glass. Hold the glass upright again, and look at the wine as it drips down--these are called the legs, or tears (there's a pretentious wine term for you)! Generally speaking, the thinner the legs and the faster they run down, the drier the wine and the higher the alcohol content. See, you're already becoming a wine snob in spite of yourself. Before you've even tasted the wine, you have an idea of the type (broadly: red or white) and the amount of sugar/alcohol in it! Yay, you! 

Now, holding the glass by the stem, swirl the wine to help bring up the aromas. Put your face right down in the glass and take a big old whiff. If you're having some difficulty, you can help by putting your palm over the glass while swirling, then releasing your palm and sticking your face down in the glass.
                                   
                              We have no idea who this guy is, but we like how he's not afraid to get right down
                                                  in the wine.  See all the space in the glass for the aromas to build up?  This guy
                                                  is good.  Follow his example!
                              
The folks at UC Davis have come up with a keen little tool called the Wine Aroma Wheel, which can aid you in determining specific aromas in your wine. These are available, oddly enough, at The Wine Aroma Wheel web site.  As I said, it is a keen tool, and can be very useful for "serious" tasting, but it is not necessary to the casual taster. It will be useful to keep in mind some broad terms from the Wine Aroma Wheel to help you in your tasting. 

        Fruity            Green              Woody              Earthy              Spicy         Floral
        citrus        fresh/grassy          vanilla            mushrooms        cloves   orange blossom 
        berry      cooked veggies         oak                   musty           pepper           rose 
       tropical            hay                coffee                 anise 

                                                            Caramelized
                                                                 honey 
                                                                 butter 
                                                              chocolate 

You should be able to pick out at least two or three different aromas. Talk amongst yourselves, and help each other out! 
 
OK, now you are finally allowed to taste your wine. You've viewed it, perhaps squinting up at it against the light   in a most knowledgeable fashion. You've checked out its legs. You've stuck your nose in it. Now, take a sip, letting the wine roll over your whole tongue--you'll taste different elements in different parts of your mouth. Slurping and sloshing and making wise faces are not necessary and are a wee bit pretentious, but you've come this far, so the choice is yours! 
 
Just for fun, taste your wine again with food. Grab some cheese and crackers and taste. Enjoy the flavor of the cheese and cracker, take a sip of the wine and see how it interacts with the food. It's amazing how wine and cheese love each other. 
                        
                         How could you possibly say no?  I see buttery brie.  Try it with your Chardonnay.  I see blue.
                                          Believe it or not, try it with a dessert wine.
                                          
Some wines are better with food, and you'll be able to tell immediately. Some are great to sip chilled by the pool. You'll be able to tell that, too. So, did you find some wine that you liked? How about some you didn't like? See, we told you: there are only two kinds of wine!

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