text: There's always that one friend who with the swirl of a wine glass  will leave you in awe of their sophisticated wine skills. Yet unless you grew up on a vineyard or had a wise wino whisper the secrets of their connoisseuring ways, it's likely you don't know the distinct differences between a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot and tend to swallow more than you spit it out at a wine tasting. Dr Alex Russell, a Sydney-based University lecturer who has worked in the wine retail industry for over 10 years (with a claim to fame  selling the last $26,000 bottle of Glenfiddich in the world) and whose completed a PhD on 'the taste and smell perception of wine', shares his advice for wowing  winos with your knowledge. Top tips: Dr Alex Russell shares his tips for mastering wine tasting in four hours . 1.SET ASIDE AT LEAST FOUR HOURS . As part of his research study, Russell would have people come into the lab every day to smell and taste lots of wines. 'In most cases, they would be in the lab for an hour and wouldn't learn much,' he said. 'However when participants stayed 30 minutes longer they showed signs of improvement and after four hours, they were doing  well and got the hang of tasting.' 2. TRY DIFFERENT TYPES . 'No expert has become an expert by only drinking their favourite wine,' says Russell. 'Branch out, be willing to try wine by the glass rather than buying a whole bottle and try wines made from different grapes, regions or countries.' Name that note: The main skill wine experts have believes Russell, is an ability to put a name to the odour or scent . 3.TASTE THEM SIDE-BY-SIDE . While we have a distinct memory for smell, just like other types of memory, we can often be prone to forgetting too, according to Russell. 'Instead of relying on your memory to compare the wine you’re drinking now verse the the one you tried last week, open up a few different bottles at the same time so you can  compare them directly.' 4. SHUT YOUR EYES . The main skill wine experts have believes Russell, is an ability to put a name to the odour or scent. 'Wines that smell like blackcurrant might not actually be made from or with blackcurrant and don’t look like blackcurrant so it can be hard to identify a smell when you can’t visually associate it with the  source,' he said. 'In fact these wines contain chemicals that, when isolated, smell very much like blackcurrant.' So Russell suggests going through your pantry with a friend and picking out various herbs and fruits. 'Smell and taste the ingredients with your eyes closed and try to identify them. Then learn from feedback - it might be hard at first but you’ll improve over time.' 5. IF IN DOUBT, ADD YOUR OWN FLAVOURS AND SMELLS . 'If you're not sure what peach tastes like in a Chardonnay, then add a little bit of syrup from a can of peaches to your next glass to  gain an idea of what the flavour tastes like in wine,' suggests Russell. 'Gradually reduce the amount you put in until you can identify that flavour without any additive.' Russell says there are now hundreds of possible odours and flavours that can come in a glass of wine, such as chocolate, green olive, eucalyptus and coffee. 6. KNOW THE LINGO . Even if you're are a food or perfume expert, learning wine and its lingo is a whole other thing, according to Russell. 'Wine expertise is all about linking an odour or flavour with its recognised name. Experts will share information using similar terms whereas novices generally can’t describe wines very well and don’t know  the experts’ tasting terms.' 7. DON'T WORRY ABOUT HAVING A 'SUPERNOSE' OR MOUTH . In examining a range of studies, Russell says there is no apparent difference between the smelling sensitivity of every day people verse seasoned pros. 'Essentially wine experts smell and taste the same  but they’re better at processing the information,' he said. 'Similarly, chess experts can look at the same board as their less experienced counterparts but can determine which pieces are immediately relevant more quickly – it’s all about having a processing advantage.' Forget about having a 'supernose': 'Essentially wine experts smell and taste the same but they’re better at processing the information,' says Dr Russell . 8. START WITH CHEAP WINE, BUT DON'T STICK TO IT . While price isn't the only indicator of quality, Russell believes that it is often the case that the more expensive wines  reflect better where they come from. 'Plus learning about wine regions is part of being an expert,' he adds. 9.READ AND TASTE . 'Wine experts aren’t just good at tasting wines, they also know a lot about how it’s made, where it’s made and all the other important details you would find in a wine book,' said Russell. Cheers: 'As long as you have a working nose and mouth, you can become a wine expert' 10. DON'T GIVE UP IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE . 'A lot of people avoid wine-tasting games because they are afraid to fail,' said Russell. But it’s okay to make mistakes. According to Russell, a famous French experiment in which white wine was artificially coloured red with odourless dye was once able to undermine a series of seasoned experts. 'This study highlighted the impact our thoughts and expectations have on what we taste in a wine – it’s almost like they "drank the wine with their eyes,;" he said. 'As long as you have a working nose and mouth, you can become a wine expert,' assures Russell. 'Just begin - you’ll start to see improvements after a few hours. And even if you don't want to become a serious expert, being able to describe a wine or understand a description of a wine is  handy. And besides, it’s a lot of fun!,' he adds.
target: University lecturer Dr Alex Russell shares his expert advice .
  Dr Russell says that anyone can improve their tasting skills in four hours .