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Wine 101... and then some!
 Wine is typically tasted first to determine the quality and temperature of the wine. Wine is typically tasted by a Sommelier to determine the quality and to assess how the wine will pair with food. After tasting the wine, the “taster” will be able to describe the wine to others.
Wine is tasted to determine the quality or to determine if it is “off” or “contaminated”.
• Oxidation is caused by allowing too much air to come into contact with the wine during vinification or by storing for too long.
• Maderization is caused by the wine being subjected to excessive heat during vinification or storage. (Improper temperature when transported).
Temperature: Warmer temperatures accentuate the fruit, alcohol and sweetness causing the tannins and acids to mellow. Cooler temperatures accentuate the acidity and tannins, while the fruit, aromas and sweetness is mellowed. Hence the adage of serving red wines warmer (to mellow the tannins) and white wines cooler (to accentuate the acidity).
• Quality wines have a good balance between the acids, tannins, fruit and alcohol. A good quality of wine will linger on the palate after it has been swallowed.
• Wines require a proper balance of acid to enable the wine to linger.
Basic tasting techniques
1. The glass must have an ample bowl for tilting and swirling.
2. Swirling the wine releases the aromas technically known as alderhydes and esters.
3. The glass must be clean to determine the viscosity or thickness of the wine.
4. Sight, swirl, smell, sip, savor
Appearance (Sight)
• The appearance of wine should indicate:
– clarity
– color
– color intensity (concentration)
– rim variation
– gas
– viscosity
All wines should be clear!
• If a wine is cloudy, it may contain sediment that needs to settle.
• If a wine is cloudy the wine may be “tainted”
• The brightness may indicate if a wine has been filtered.
• Brightness is described as:
• Star bright - Day bright – Bright - Dull
• White wine will range from colorless to gold
• A yellow or gold color may indicate an older wine or it may indicate the wine is from a warm climate
• A greenish hue may indicate a young wine or a wine from a cold climate
• Red wines range from a light cherry/purple to a deep ruby/garnet and perhaps even brown.
• Young wines are may be purple
• Older wines may be deeper red or even brown
• Rim variation may indicate the age of the wine.
• Rim variation is determined by tilting the glass at an angle, change of wine color from center to outer rim
• Little rim variation from the center of the glass to the rim may indicate a young wine
• Older wines show a change of color (maybe even orange or brown developing at the rim for red wines.)
• Gas will be present in sparkling wines
• The concentration of bubbles may indicate quality
• Gas may be present in still wines, indicating a young wine or a wine that is BAD!
• Viscosity is determined by the “legs” formed on the glass when swirling.
• Thick legs may indicate a higher sugar, alcohol content (or both).
• Light legs (sheeting down the glass) may indicate low alcohol content.
Smell/Nose/Bouquet/Aroma
• Scientific research suggests there are over 10,000 different smells
• The olfactory bulb location is in proximity to the part of the brain that stores memory, making the sense of smell the strongest trigger to our memories.
• Swirling the wine releases esters and aldehydes
• First is to check for a fault
• TCA (trichloroanisole) is the most common fault. Smell is moldy or damp cardboard, faulty cork.
• TeCA (tetrachloroanisole) caused by climate conditions of the cellar.
• Correct smell in wine should be similar to smells such as fruitiness, herbaceous or vegetative, nutty, caramel, woody, earthy, chemical, pungent, microbiological, floral, and spicy.
• Wood aging may be detected
• Wines from Sonoma and Napa will be fruit forward
• If the smell warms your nose, it may indicate high alcohol
• The quality of the wine may be detected by variety of aromas, the complexity
Taste/Sip & Savor
• Its about time! Although we have 5000 taste buds, we can only detect the following flavors:
– Sweetness (in the tip of the tongue)
– Saltiness (on the front right and front left sides of the tongue)
– Sourness (on the back right and back left sides of the tongue)
– Bitterness (on the back of the tongue)
– Umami (MSG)
• Taste confirms the appearance and bouquet
• Sweetness/dryness is the first assessment. The following terms are used to describe the dryness or sweetness of wine.
Bone dry – dry – off dry – sweet – very sweet
• Acidity and tannins are the next assessment.
Low – medium – high
• Next, the fruit, minerals, wood and spices are assessed (confirmation of the aromas)
• The final step is assessing the finish of the wine.
– The length of time that the flavor remains on the tongue after the wine has been consumed is considered the finish.
– Long finish may indicate a higher quality
– Acid is needed to create the finish.
• These steps in tasting wines are commonly used in a blind tasting format and commonly known in the wine community as a “deductive reasoning tasting format”
• After tasting and confirming the sight and smell, an initial and final conclusion may be determined
– Wines from Sonoma and Napa tend to be riper, higher in oak, higher in alcohol moderate in acidity and clean (not earthy).
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