The world of wine is complex. But there are a few simple things you can do to up your skills. (Credit: nd3000/Shutterstock)

Only 256 people in the world can call themselves Master Sommeliers: experts at tasting, describing and selling wine. They’re so rare because each sip of wine is a perceptual puzzle: Over 25 different taste and smell variables (sweetness, acidity, texture, finish, etc.) define each wine.

But you don’t have to be a super-taster or super-smeller to become a wine expert