Rest assured that you will learn much more as you travel from tasting room to tasting room. Hold the glass to the light and enjoy its colors. If you really want to put the wine to the test, hold a white napkin or sheet of thick white paper behind the glass in ordinary sunlight. Swirl the wine gently in the glass to release its fragrances. Sniff sharply to carry them to the nerve ends high in the nose.
Connoisseurs learn to draw in air over the wine still in their mouth.
It looks silly, but it carries fumes to the nasal cavity, where most of the subtle olfactory differences emerge. Try to pick out tastes that are familiar to you, such as berry or pepper. Chew the wine, just as if you were munching on some mashed potatoes. The aftertaste should always be pleasant, though it's often quite different from your first impression upon sipping.