
Wine tasting is not the same as drinking it. To experience the true flavor of a wine requires that you pay attention to your senses of sight, smell, touch, as well as taste.
Sight: Look at the wine -- in daylight if possible. The best way is to tilt the wine in the glass and look at it against a white background. What do you see? Is the wine clear or cloudy? The color will vary according to what wine it is. Red wines vary greatly in color -- a Merlot, for example will usually be an intense ruby red while a Cabernet Sauvignon will be a darker, deeper red. As a red wine ages, you will see hints of reddish-brown around the edges. White wines become more golden as they age.
Smell: Through our sense of smell, wine reveals its pleasures to us. To determine the aroma, swirl the wine vigorously in the glass. As the wine coats the sides of the glass, it releases its bouquet. The aromas can be quite different depending on how far into the glass your nose goes. At the top of the glass, they are more floral and fruity; deeper in the glass, they are richer. Try to detect the full range of scents from berry to floral to spicy to woody ... and so on. Consider intensity and appeal.
Touch: This does not mean you dip your finger into your wine glass! When tasting wines, the touch is the feel of the wine on your tongue. Is it soft or brisk? Does it have a refreshing zing around the edges of your tongue? Or is it flat and flabby? Tannins (used in red wines to keep them from spoiling) will feel sort of prickly on your tongue. Younger red wines are usually more tannic. The ideal touch is a mellow softness -- a velvety feeling in your mouth.
Taste: This is the final step and should be taken only after you've used your other senses. When tasting a wine, take a small amount in your mouth, swirl it around lightly so all your tastebuds are exposed, then keep it there for a brief period. Does the wine taste the same as its aroma? Is it sweet, acidic, crisp? Is it light or full-bodied? At this point you can either spit it out (especially if you are tasting several wines) or simply drink it, but be sure to experience the aftertaste (the finish). What is the memory of the wine on your palate?
DESCRIBING THE TASTES AND SMELLS OF WINE
Have you ever stood next to someone at a wine tasting bar who kept uttering words like bouquet, clarity, earthy, crisp, spicy, zesty ... and so on?
Did you wonder what in the heck they were talking about? Well, here's your opportunity to learn how to 'wine-speak' with the experts!
Pour the wine into an ordinary wine glass -- an inch or less is best (definitely no more than one-quarter full). Then, holding the glass by its stem, gently swirl the wine. This aerates the wine and releases the aroma (bouquet) of the wine.
Take a sniff. You might want to put your nose inside the glass to get a more defined sense of the smell. Or try moving the glass ever so gently so the aroma wafts up to your nose. Pay close attention to what you smell. You might even want to close your eyes so you can fully concentrate on the scent.
Try to identify the odor. Is it fruity like grapes, apples, melons, oranges, or perhaps grapefruit? You might even notice a grassy fragrance, like a freshly mown lawn. These are common aromas of white wines. If the Chardonnay has been aged in oak, you may even pick up a buttery or fig scent.
Most red wines have a fragrance reminiscent of berries but in Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, you may also pick up woody smells like cedar or pine needles, or sometimes chocolate will come to mind. Syrah often has a floral scent. Zinfandel is spicy and may make you think of ground black pepper.
Now take a sip. Get all your taste buds involved by running the wine around your tongue. Don’t swallow just yet. Think for a moment about the flavor. Many times, the flavor will match the aroma, but sometimes you’ll distinguish new elements. The taste of the white wine may remind you of orange blossoms or peaches. The red wine may taste like blackberries or strawberry jam or coffee, or even tobacco.
Use whatever words come to mind as you experience the aroma and flavor. There are no wrong answers when it comes to describing wine. It's whatever helps you to remember a certain wine (even if it reminds you of a new car smell!).
After you swallow the wine, notice the 'feel' of the wine in your mouth. Does it feel crisp or zesty? Or is it smooth, like velvet?
Do you notice an aftertaste? Sometimes this is an extension of the flavor, but it may bring to mind something entirely different. Also notice how long the flavor lingers. A long, pleasant aftertaste, where all the components of the wine are in balance, is a sign of a quality wine.
So there you have it. Now you can stand next to those people at the wine bar, raise your pinky, and toss around words like fruity, floral, earthy, and smoky along with the best of them!
Note: I personally had a great time sampling some wine over the last weekend. What a great time to relax on a cozy Sunday evening.







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