There's a new option to dilemmas of boring photographs and failed charcoal and oil (even water-color) paintings and that is cross-stitch portrait. It is converting a favorite photograph into an elegant and artistic needlecraft. However high-tech snapshot is, it will be captured exactly, even tiniest detail, in a cross-stitch portrait.

A picture is scanned and then converted into a cross-stitch pattern. A pattern looks like a chart of tiny squares on a paper. Each square symbolizes a stitch. And stitches are details of pictures. It is amazing to see a picture being converted into a pattern for cross-stitch. A snapshot, especially a colored one is faithful replica of a person, a pet or of a significant event. In it, image, especially skin of a person appears to be plain flesh-colored (dark, fair, brown, yellow, etc.). But in a cross-stitch pattern, skin alone could have three or more shades of whatever skin tone person in image has. Even an all-black hair could have shades of gray, dark gray and light gray for more emphasis.

This is due to light reflections upon taking picture. It could be from flash or shadow of sun when picture was shot outdoors. However, in a snapshot, it does not really matter because focus would be just on image. But in a cross-stitch portrait, every tone of skin, every shade of hair (whether plain colored or highlighted) is considered. And in end, portrait is not only a faithful replica but is almost exactly original image of person, pet or significant memory.

One helpful strategy an aspiring wine taster can pursue is tasting with a friend that has superior knowledge. Questions can be addressed, and you will quickly become comfortable with this unnecessarily intimidating subject.

Another important strategy for a beginning wine taster is to taste several wines side-by-side that share at least one common variable. This could be varietal, style, AVA of origin, or any combination of three.

Tasting blind will minimize any prior opinions or stereotypes. You may be surprised to discover that less-expensive wines are more pleasing to you.

The Essentials of Tasting Wine

It is imperative that you taste in spotlessly clean glasses. The most common contaminants in unclean glasses are invisible molecules left behind by cleaning products. Even high-end restaurants can be guilty of this faux pas. It is best to thoroughly hand wash glasses with unabrasive soaps and hot water.

It is beneficial, but not necessary to use varietal-specific glasses when tasting wine. Research has shown that shape of glasses really does make a difference in sensory experience.

Overview of Tasting Process

Wine tasting employs much more than just taste buds, although they are very important. Your palate is a term for how taste buds on your tongue translate particular flavors to your brain. The palate can perceive only four basic flavors: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness. Most of subtle flavor components of wine are actually picked up by one's sense of smell.

Although many of our daily perceptions are unconscious, making a concerted effort to pay attention to several things makes tasting process more educational and rewarding. Despite mystique that surrounds many wine "experts", tasting wine can be broken into simple steps. Wine knowledge usually stems from practice and confidence, not any inherent superiority.

Of course, some people have more developed senses than others. An extreme example is Robert Parker, widely regarded as most influential wine critic in world. Mr. Parker's tasting ability is derived from his natural ability to be keenly aware of his senses.

It is within grasp of vast majority of people to confidently differentiate varietals, styles, flavor profiles, and flaws when tasting wine. Tasting wine requires not only a grasp of your senses, but also ability to articulate (with proper vernacular) your thoughts about a particular wine.

Relevance of Sight in Tasting Wine

Your sense of sight will reveal a lot about a particular wine before smelling and tasting it. Immediately after pouring, check to see how clear wine is. While haziness may simply indicate a full-bodied, unfiltered red wine, in any other style it is usually cause for concern. Wines will often taste way that they look (an unrefined look may indicate a clumsy, unfocused wine).