Picture this. You’re at a dinner with your boyfriend’s family. Eight out of ten of them are wine enthusiasts. By enthusiast, you swear they’re one step away from putting sommelier on their business cards.

Your boyfriend of five months insists his family already “approves” of you, but, still, you want to earn even more points. So how cool would it be if you taught them a thing or two about sampling wine? For instance, what’s up with smelling the cork?

I got the chance to hang out with Vino Vino host Elliott at Orlando Tastings in downtown Orlando. I can now sample with confidence! Watch the VIDEO attached to this page, or read the transcript below. 

    ALLISON WALKER: We're hanging out here in downtown Orlando at Orlando Tastings. I'm in pretty good company tonight. Elliott from Vino Vino is joining us. 
    ELLIOTT: Hello! How are you? 
    ALLISON: So Elliot -- look, we go to a restaurant and I want to sample wine. Do I spit in the glass, do I sip it, swirl it? What do I do?
Help me. 
    ELLIOTT: [Laughing] You can do anything you want, Allison. But most people -- what you want to do is, when they deliver the wine, they're going to take the cork out. The first thing you don't do is don't pick up the cork. You don't want to smell the cork. 
    ALLISON: See, that's what I do. 
    ELLIOTT: Well then, you don't want -- just look at it, make sure it hasn't broken off. Make sure it doesn't have something funny growing on it. And if that's the case, then what they're going to do is pour a very small amount into your glass, just like this. 
    ALLISON: OK, so just a little bit. 
    ELLIOTT: Now, this is what we're going to do. Before you swirl it, I want you to look at the color and note the color. Just keep that in the back of your mind because tasting wine is all about the senses.
The next thing -- before we swirl it -- smell it. Notice the smell. 
    ALLISON: It's going to change now... 
    ELLIOTT: Now put a big swirl on it. Now let's smell it again. 
    ALLISON: OH! That opens right up. 
    ELLIOTT: Doesn't it? It opens right up and you notice the bouquet of it and the aroma? 
    ALLISON: Ooooh, a "bouquet!" 
    ELLIOTT: A bouquet. 
    ALLISON: I was going to say blackberry, but I like “bouquet.” 
    ELLIOTT: You see, the great thing about wine is - it's changed! It's an organic thing.
Last thing we have to do... 
    ALLISON: Right... 
    ELLIOTT: …Is taste it. 
    ALLISON: Let's do it. 
    ELLIOTT: Here we go! 
    ALLISON: It's a bouquet in my mouth. In my nose and in my mouth. 
    ELLIOTT: Yes. 
    ALLISON: And you found out some of the best wines to have before you die, the best ones under 50, the cheap ones - if you can't afford too much, like me. All on Vino Vino right now on Central Florida on Demand. 
    ELLIOTT: Right. Also, great holiday wines to pair with, like, turkey and hams and everything. 
    ALLISON: Just in time. Alright, we've gotta eat, and drink first.

In video you’ll only find here on cfnews13.com, find out what Steven Piantieri of Orlando Tastings says about pour-by-the-ounce machines. Do they affect the quality of wine? Visit the video section on this page.

Also, be sure to check out Vino Vino on Facebook and Twitter! See what Elliott’s Buddy Chris from Total Wines recommends for your Thanksgiving Day wine selection.

Central Florida on Demand is available exclusively for Bright House digital cable customers.