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Our Wineguide
The
art of wine-tasting
Wine-tasting is an art which requires practice,
concentration and … a great deal of modesty.
Anyone can become a good wine-taster!
Wine-tasting is the art of appreciating a wine with three of
our five senses: sight, smell and taste.
Eyes
(Colour):
The different aspects we perceive are:
- Colour - highlights - brilliance
- Clarity
- Arches
- Effervescence.
The colour gives information on the origin of the wine and its age.
Examples:
- From a pale-straw or yellow for young white wines
to amber-yellow and brown for older vintages.
- From purple-red for young red wines to brick red
for older vintages.
The clarity is indicative of a stable and healthy wine.
Arches: Sometimes when swirling a glass of wine, one can see
the wine form into lines that stream down the glass. These are
also referred to as “legs” or “tears”. They form when alcohol
evaporates from the film of wine, coating the inner surfaces of
the glass. Because ethanol volatilizes more rapidly than water,
the surface tension of the film increases. This induces water
molecules in the film to pull together more tightly, resulting in
droplet formation. Finally the drops slide down, forming the
tears.
Effervescence (or perlage) is due to the presence of carbon
dioxide that, freed when the wine is poured, results in foam
and bubbles. It is vital for sparkling wines: bubbles must be
numerous, small in diameter and persistent. In wines, however,
the effervescence is a failure and is indicative of the phenomena
re-fermentation alcoholic or malolactic fermentation occurred
in the bottle.
Nose
(Aroma or bouquet):
The
nose represents 80% of wine tasting.
- Primary
aromas (varietal aromas)
- Each
grape variety has specific aromas.
Examples:
- Merlot: Redcurrant
- Cabernet Sauvignon: Blackcurrant, black pepper
- Chardonnay: Golden Delicious apple, acacia flower, rose
- Sauvignon Blanc: Grapefruit, citrus
- Syrah: Black cherry, violet, peppery notes
- Secondary
aromas (fermentation aromas)
- These aromas are fleeting and disappear after a few months.
Examples: yeast, ferment, banana...
- Tertiary
aromas
- These are aromas released during barrel and bottle ageing.
Examples:
coffee, tobacco, toasted bread, vanilla...
- Vocabulary
-
Big:
Describes a wine with above-average flavour intensity.
Earthy:
A flavour or aroma that suggests the soil or fresh
earth.
Rich, Complex:
Richly aromatic nose that can be fruity, floral,
spicy...
Finesse, Elegance:
Denotes high quality and a sense of style.
Mouth (Taste):
The 4 basic flavours
The
different stages:
- The attack:
The first impression, when we usually feel the sweetness of the
wine.
- The evolution:
The way the wine develops on the middle palate so that we
can feel the acidity and the astringency.
- The aftertaste:
Last perceived aromas, e.g. we can find that a wine is sweet.
- The length:
Aromatic persistency, e.g. a wine can have a short, medium or
long finish.
- The balance or harmony:
A good wine always has a good balance. A red
wine needs to have a good balance between sweetness, acidity and tannins.
A white wine needs to have a good balance between sweetness and acidity.
Vocabulary:
- Astringent: Showing a little bitterness, indicating the presence of tannins.
- Soft: Very round, supple, low in acidity.
- Fleshy: A round, richly-flavoured taste.
- Flat: Exhibiting a lack of freshness, character or acidity.
- Firm: A wine that has a well-defined tannin or acid structure.
- Light: Lacking in body but not unpleasant.
- Shortcomings:
- Smells, often due to contamination and rarely pleasant.
Examples: acetic, sour, vinegar, petrol, cabbage...
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