Begin by pouring some wine
Take a look at the wine by holding it at a 45 angle against a white background. Look carefully at the color: White, rose, or red. What does the color tell you about the wine? White wines deepen in color as they age and become more golden. Red wines get paler in color as they age and become more orange.
Swirl the wine in the glass
This will help to release the aromatic compounds. What do you smell? Is the wine neutral, with little aroma, or highly aromatic, with lots of aromas? Does it smell youthful (like fruit) or aged (the fruit has faded into something different)? Try this: Close your eyes for a moment and really focus on the aromas.
Common fruit descriptors for White Wines:
Citrus fruits: Lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange
Tree fruits: Apples, pears
Stone fruits: Peaches, apricots, nectarines
Tropical fruits: pineapple, banana, mango
Non-fruit: Floral, Herbal, vegetal, spice
Earth/Mineral: Stones, chalk, mushrooms, slate, petrol
Common winemaking aromas for White Wines:
Butter – comes from Malolactic Fermentation
Biscuit, bread, toast, yeast – comes from lees contact
Vanilla, sweet baking spices, butterscotch, toffee – comes from oak barrel fermentation and/or oak barrel aging
Common fruit descriptors for Red Wines:
Tree fruits: Red apple, red pear
Stone or pitted fruits: Plums, cherries
Berries: Raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, black currant, red currants
Non-fruit: Floral, Herbal, vegetal, spice,
Mineral/Earth: Leafy, mushroom, cedar, gravel, stones
Common winemaking aromas for Red Wines:
Butter – comes from Malolactic Fermentation
Vanilla, dill, sweet baking spices, cocoa, coffee – comes from oak barrel maturation
Common descriptors for minerals:
Stony
Chalky
Taste the wine
How does the wine feel in your mouth? This is when we start to talk about the BODY of the wine.
What is that body like? Is it like skim milk? Whole milk? Cream?
What is the texture of the wine? Is it thick and viscous? Thin and watery? Silky, rough, harsh, smooth?
Is it acidic? Does the wine make your mouth water?
How much tannin is there (in red wine)? Does the tannin dry your mouth out or is there a light sensation of astringency?
What do you taste?
Fruit – similar as to the smell for white wines and red wines
What is the fruit like? Fresh, dried, baked, tart, sweet?
Winemaking flavors – ML, lees aging, oak fermentation or maturation?
Earth/Mineral aromas and flavors
As you continue to explore the flavor, here are some additional prompts:
Is the wine balanced?
Does the wine have complexity? Specifically, does it seem like there are layers of flavors or is it somewhat simple?
How long is the finish? Short, Medium, or Long? Does the flavor linger on the tongue or is it gone quickly? This can be an indicator of quality.
What do you taste on the finish?
Because every pour will offer you new findings and experiences, be sure to return to some of these terms and questions when you need help defining what you’re tasting.
