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Tasting
Wine
There
is a difference between drinking wine and tasting
wine. Tasting involves being aware of all your senses.
Tasting is also not a matter of right or wrong.
It's really a matter of defining your palate. This
is one area where opinions can differ. Here are
four simple steps to wine tasting. We refer to it
as the E.S.S.T. System which means Examine, Swirl,
Smell and Taste
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EXAMINE
Examine
your wine. What does it look like? What can
you say about the color? As you taste more wine
the answers to these questions will mean something.
A
wine's color can tell you about it's age and
how heavy it will feel in your mouth. With practice
you will be able to recognize subtle color variations
between wines.
- Young
reds are somewhat of a purple color and
through the process of aging become brownish.
- Whites
begin as almost clear and with age obtain
a variable pale, clear, goldish color.
SWIRL
Believe it or not swirling is very important
to tasting wine. Swirling will expose the wine
to more oxygen while mixing the acidity that
settles to the bottom. Swirling will also help
release the aromas. To obtain optimum swirlage,
simply hold your glass by the stem and make
a gentle circular motion. This will create a
small twister in your glass. This is a good
time to reexamine your wine. Look for "legs."
This refers to the traces of oiliness left down
the side of the glass resembling legs. The legs
are alcohol, sugar and glycerin. The more alcohol,
sugar and glycerin, the fuller the legs.
SMELL
You will need to develop your nose as well
as your palate. In order to do so you must stick
your nose directly into your glass and take-in
a deep, yet gentle whiff. Don't worry, this
is socially acceptable in the world of wine.
You may smell a "tininess," "oakiness," or "fruitiness"
to name a few. Below are common aroma definitions:
- bouquet:
this is a wines collection of aromas.
- Complexity:
this is a wine with a lot of different aroma
components. When we say a wine is complex
it usually is a compliment.
- Dumb:
a wine that doesn't reveal it's flavors
or aromas (this could be a wine that is
too young or served too cold)
- earthy:
a smell or flavor that is reminiscent of
the earth
- floral:
a term used to describe floral scents found
in some wines, for example a Riesling is
often said to have a floral scent
- heady:
a strong, aromatic wine with a high concentration
of alcohol and other components
- herbaceous:
herbal undertones such as, mint, sage and
eucalyptus
- lively:
a wine with a clean aroma and fresh acidity
- oak:
a taste and smell that is produced by wines
that are aged in oak barrels
- raisiny:
a smell of raisins found in wines that were
made from very ripe or overripe grapes
- smoky:
an aroma sometimes associated with Sauvignon
Blanc and Pinot Noir
- spicy:
refers to an aroma or a hint of mint, clove,
cinnamon or pepper flavors
- strawberry:
a fruity aroma that appears in certain red
or rose' wines
- vanilla:
a spicy aroma and flavor from an oak aged
wine
- yeasty:
a bready smell
TASTE
Finally! Simply take a sip. Like smelling,
it takes time and practice to identify your
palate. In other words, getting your mind (what
you think about a flavor) and mouth in sync.
Also, when you're at the winery and you see
a basket of crackers, those are meant to cleanse
your palate between wines. Here are some definitions/terms
to become aware of, which will help you define
your palate:
- acidity:
generally described as a sour or tart taste
- balance:
harmony between components-fruity, acidity,
tannins and alcohol
- body:
how the weight and texture feels in your
mouth
- buttery:
references white wines with an oiliness
and flavor of butter
- carmely:
refers to an aged white with a rich, burnt-sugar
flavor
- character:
refers to a combination of a wine's features
that make a wine distinguished from other
wines, kind of like a wine's personality
- chewy:
thickness of texture or tannins (a natural
component found in the skins, seeds and
stems of a grape which creates a dry, puckering
sensation in young reds, but will mellow
in time)
- cooked:
burnt-fruit flavors resembling raisin
- crisp:
an acidity that is fresh and brisk
- delicate:
a light texture with subtle flavors
- dry:
the opposite of sweet-by definition means
the wine has little or no residual sugar
left following the fermentation process
- dull:
lacking flavor and enough acidity (this
could change with the aging process)
- dumb:
a wine that doesn't reveal it's flavors
or aromas (this could be a wine that is
too young or served too cold)
- earthy:
a smell or flavor that is reminiscent of
the earth
- fleshy:
a wine with a lot of ripe fruity flavors
- flinty:
a dry, mineral like flavor
- fruity:
a fruity flavor
- full-bodied:
a lot of flavor, alcohol and thickness
- green:
a wine that hasn't developed a balance of
flavor and acidity
- hard:
a red wine with more tannin flavors (a natural
component found in the skins, seeds and
stems of a grape which creates a dry, puckering
sensation in young reds, but will mellow
in time) than fruity flavor-this can soften
in time
- harsh:
rough, biting flavor from excessive tannins
or acid
- heady:
a strong, aromatic wine with a high concentration
of alcohol and other components
- herbaceous:
herbal undertones such as, mint, sage and
eucalyptus
- light:
refers to a wine that is light in alcohol,
texture and weight in the mouth
- lively:
a wine with a clean aroma and fresh acidity
- meaty:
a wine with a chewy, fleshy fruit flavor
and a firm structure
- mellow:
a smooth soft flavor
- oak:
a taste and smell that is produced by wines
that are aged in oak barrels
- peppery:
red wine that has a hint of pepper
- rich:
a wine with a lot of flavor, body and aroma
- robust:
full-bodied, full-flavor and high alcohol
content
- rough:
a wine with a harsh, bitter taste
- round:
a wine with a harmony of components
- sharp:
a wine with high acidity. A sharp wine can
"cut through" a rich creamy sauce
- silky:
describes a smooth texture of a wine
- simple:
the opposite of complex
- soft:
a gentle fruit flavor and generally refers
to a wine with low alcohol content
- spicy:
refers to an aroma or a hint of mint, clove,
cinnamon or pepper flavors
- stemmy:
indicates a harsh, green, tannic flavor
- tart:
a sharp taste from a wines natural acidity
- thin:
refers to insufficient body, flavor and/or
color
- velvety:
a smooth, silky texture
- woody:
a wine that has absorbed too much oak flavor
from the oak barrel it was aged in
Lastly,
when tasting, it is always good idea to keep
a journal of the wines you have tasted with
your descriptions of each wine. This will help
you determine what to buy when shopping for
wine. As always... enjoy!
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