Wine is so much more than just a beverage. It is an agricultural product that is constantly evolving. Not only does your favorite wine change from vintage to vintage but it also changes while it rests in the bottle. Once you uncork the bottle you wake it from its restful state and it starts to bloom; minute-by-minute, its personality changes as it mixes with the warm air.

It is important to learn how to taste wine so that we can fully appreciate the gift that we have before us. A glass of wine is a playground for our senses. We use every sensory tool we have available: Sight, Smell & Taste. By using all of our senses, it will only deepen your appreciation for both the wines and the winemakers.

It is also important to compare wines to refine your senses. Even consider getting a notebook and keep track of your tasting notes for the wine (and even compare your notes to those in the Wine Spectator or those posted on the Winery’s web site). Wine tasting flights are a great way to taste multiple wines at the same time and are available at most wine bars.

Look: Color, Clarity & Opacity

Pour yourself a glass of wine. Tilt the glass away from you and take notice of the wine’s color around the rim’s edge. Place a piece of white paper behind the glass to help bring out the color.

Beyond the obvious red, white or blush, what do you see?

Red Colors: maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish
White Colors: pale yellow, straw-like, light green, golden, amber or brown

Now check the wine’s Opacity. Is it cloudy or clear?

Typical Descriptors: Dark, translucent, opaque, dull, brilliant, cloudy, clear, water.

Can you see sediment? If so, this is a good indication that the wine is unfiltered.

Smell: Aromas

While most of us refer to a wine’s taste, most of us, when asked to describe what we taste, most often we will describe what we smell. We must bear in mind that a person can smell thousands of unique scents, but our taste perception is limited to four areas: salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows us to discern flavor.

Our sense of smell is critical in properly analyzing a glass of wine. Take you glass of wine and gently swirl it. This allows the wine to mix with oxygen helping to release its Bouquet. Stick your nose down into the glass and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your impressions?

Typical Red Descriptors: Oak, berry, vanilla, blackberry, cherry, currant, leather, spice
Typical White Descriptors: Citrus, grapefruit, flowers, perfume, pear, apple, peaches

Taste: The 3 Phases

There are three stages of taste: The Attack Phase, The Evolution Phase and the Finish.

Our initial impression of the wine on our palate is known as The Attack Phase. The Attack can be broken down into four sensory factors: alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. These elements come together to form the initial Attack on our taste buds. If a wine is well made these four elements will be well balanced. No one item should stand out. We are looking for harmony. We will not discern flavors at this point only sensation.

Typical Descriptors: intensity and complexity, soft/firm, light/heavy, crisp/creamy, sweet/dry

The second phase is called The Evolution Phase or the mid-palate. Finally, we are discovering what the wines “tastes” like. This phase is a combination of both taste and smell.

Typical Red Descriptors: Berry - plum, prune or fig; spice – pepper, clove, cinnamon, Wood - oak, cedar, or a detectable smokiness.
Typical White Descriptors: Apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits, floral, honey, butter, earthiness.

The Finish is appropriately labeled as the final phase. The wine’s finish is how long the flavor impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play. How long did it last? Can you describe the body is light (skim milk), medium (2% milk), and full (whole milk). Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? What was your last flavor impression – fruit, butter, oak?

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