How to Taste Like the Pros

Listening to an experienced or trained wine taster can be intimidating. While the ability to identify specific aromas, flavors, varietal and age of a wine is an advanced skill, we can still learn to think and talk like the pros do. The good news is they all follow a similar process to tasting and breaking down the components of wine. Learning this process so you think and discuss your tasting experience in a repeatable and consistent way that is similar to the rest of the wine world will make you a better, more accurate taster. It will also help you create a greater comfort level when talking about wine and your tasting experience. When tasting wine there are 3 key attributes that we need to evaluate in the following order: Appearance, Nose & Palate.

Appearance:

First we observe the appearance. The appearance of wine can tell us a lot about the wine such as its age, varietal, and clues to some of the structural components of the wine such as body, sugar and alcohol. White wine tends to darken with age, while red wine lightens into orange and garnet tones. The color can also help you identify the varietal, for example, Cabernet tends to be dark and have more of an impenetrable purple color, while a Pinot Noir tends to have a lighter, more transparent ruby color. The clarity of the wine is often observed and can be an indication of the type of treatments it has received. An unfiltered wine might be more cloudy than a filtered wine. I often hear people comment on the “legs” of the wine. While this is not actually an indicator of quality it can help provide you some information about the wine’s structure. The legs or viscosity of the wine can actually be an indication that higher levels of sugar and alcohol are present in the wine. This is why desert wines such as Port wines, typically have a significant appearance of “legs” because they are high in both alcohol and sugar. We can also gain insight into the body of the wine from its appearance. Does it look to be syrupy or watery?

In order to properly examine the appearance of wine, use a clear, polished glass and hold it at a 45 degree angle over a white surface. A colored glass, dark lighting, or a dark surface can change the appearance of the wine. In order to create a white surface hold the glass over a white napkin or a piece of paper.

Nose:

Next examine the wines aromas or bouquet. A taster’s reaction to the aromas will often greatly impact how they enjoy the wine. Smelling the wine before you taste it will help prepare your brain for the flavors you are about to taste and will enhance your overall experience tasting the wine. The Nose of the wine can tell us more about the age of the wine and the varietal. For example young wines typically have fresh fruit and floral smells and older wines tend to have more dried fruit and earthy aromas. There are also aromas which are typical of different types of varietals. For example buttery, vanilla notes are typical aromas associated with Chardonnay, while grassy, melon notes are associated with Sauvignon Blanc.

To properly examine the aroma, put your nose into the glass, close your eyes, and smell. Observe the characteristics of the wine. If the wine has musty or moldy orders, like wet cardboard, the wine is likely corked. After observing the still wine in your glass, gently swirl the wine to open up the flavors by exposing more of the wine surface to the air. This helps open up the wine releasing new smells and strengthening the aromas on your nose. Take note of the complexity, which considers the number of different aromas or layers you smell. Is the wine multi-dimensional or is there one overwhelming characteristic?

Palate:

Finally after you have examined the appearance and nose, you are ready to taste the wine. During a private wine tasting at Clos du Val Winery the staff member leading our tour told us that you truly taste the wine on your third sip. The first sip cleanses your palate, the second activates your palate and on the third sip you should experience a mouthwatering explosion of flavor that is most representative of the wines true flavor. Okay maybe I added the mouthwatering explosion part…

When tasting wine there are 5 main components to the wine’s structure that you need to evaluate. Yup, I know … I told you there were only three key parts to tasting wine and now I’m going to throw 5 components at you that fall within the third part of tasting wine. Bear with me, these are the key components that make up the wines structure and balance.

5 Major Components of Wine:

Acidity:

Is typically more prevalent in white wines. It’s what creates the crispness in wine and preserves a wines freshness & liveliness. Like all the components it is important to achieve the right balance. A wine too high in acidity can be harsh and bitter, while a wine too low in acidity can be flat or flabby. Wines high in acidity lend themselves to the aging process.

To taste for acidity notice the mouthwatering sensation that occurs when it hits the side of your tongue. This is the best indication of how acidic the wine is.

Alcohol:

Is how we get our buzz. The buzz lends itself to feeling sassy and thinking you’re funnier than you actually are.

It also creates balance and enhances the body of the wine. A wine that is intended to be robust in flavor will fall short if the alcohol content is too low. Higher alcohol content also preserves the wine during the aging process.

Alcohol should not be overwhelming on the nose or the palate. The feeling of heat or warmth in the nose and burning in the back of the mouth is a measure of alcohol content.

Tannins:

Come from the grape skins and are found in red wines. They are associated with the texture of the wine and can create a dryness or puckering effect in your mouth. A wine that is too high in tannins might be described as the feeling chalky or rough like sandpaper on your tongue; whereas, a balanced wine would feel smooth and velvety. Young wines tend to be high in tannins and dissipate over the years. Tannins actually cling to protein in your mouth which is why red wines pair so well with red meats and other foods high in protein. Next time you have a steak pair it with a medium to full bodied red. Try the wine without food first and then watch it change when it’s paired with the steak.

Sugar:

Is the measure of dryness versus sweetness of a wine. The residual sugar is what is left in the wine after fermentation is done. It can be difficult to determine if a wine is dry or sweet. People often confuse fruit aromas and flavors for sweetness.

If you want determine a wine’s sweetness, plug your nose and taste the wine. By eliminating your sense of smell you can more accurately assess if a wine is truly sweet or dry on the palate.

Body:

Often times when you ask your server at a restaurant to recommend a bottle of wine they will ask you if you like a light, medium or full bodied wine. The body of the wine is the measure of the weight and concentration of flavors in your mouth. Pinot Noir is typically an example of a light bodied wine and a Cabernet is an example of a full bodied wine.

Practice your new tasting knowledge this weekend and let me know how it goes!