Red and White Wine Training.
Understand the common terms used for the enjoyment of drinking wine.
Common terms used when observing wines
Terms used to describe the colour of white wines include – various depths (pale, mid or deep) or yellow, gold, amber or straw.
Terms used to describe the colour of red wines include – light, med or dark red, purple, ruby, brick red, touch of tawny and brown.
Common terms used when smelling wines
Aroma
The overall smell sensations of a wine. Aroma and bouquet are sometimes used synonymously, but aroma may be attributed to the smell of the grape and bouquet to the odour of mature wine.
Common terms used when tasting wines
Acidity
Indicates the sharpness or tartness to the taste. High levels of acid can have a drying effect on the mouth.
Astringent
The puckering sensation usually caused by tannins derived from the grape skin and/or oak. High-quality reds show velvety astringency; wines that are aggressively astringent can be termed harsh or too tannic.
Balance
It is all about balance, a wine is said to be balanced when no single component is overwhelming the wine, and the overall impression is pleasing. The right proportions of sweetness and acidity.
Complexity
Your first sniff reveals cherries, your second cracked pepper then you taste the wine and it reveals an array of fruits that leave you with an after taste of various components.
Finish
The lingering taste, flavour sensation after the wine has been swallowed. Some words used to describe the finish of wine include: rich, alcoholic, hot, bitter, watery, sharp, crisp, acidic, dull, flat, clean, tannic, and oaky.
Flavours
The combined taste and smell of a wine when held in the mouth.
Freshness
The odour of young wine, similar to fruit, A wine that portrays freshness will not only be crisp but will also have associated stimulating and fresh fruit aromas and flavours.
Roundness
Soft with a pleasing finish, well balanced, showing body and fruit, not hard or aggressive.
Sweetness
A sweet taste sensation due mainly to the sugar content of the wine. Sweet sensations are experienced all over the tongue.
Synergy
The combination of separate aromas/flavours to produce new aroma and flavour sensations, quite different from the individual components. Although present in all wines the effects of synergy are most obvious when winemakers blend wines.
Putting it all together
A checklist:
- Observe the colour, its depth and hue.
- Are there any off smells?
- Are the aromas and flavours distinct, intense and complex?
- How would you describe them?
- What about the balance between the fruit characteristics and those of, for example, acid, sugar, alcohol, tannin and oak?
- Is the wine showing freshness and/or richness and/or roundness on the palate?
- Does it have a good mouthfeel?
- For red wines, what is the ‘feel’ of the tannins?
- Is it well structured?
- Are any negative characters dominating the palate?
- How does the wine finish?
- Is the after taste short or long?
- Is the wine interesting and enjoyable?
Although it is not necessary to describe or record your impressions of the wine to fully enjoy its sensory experience, a few words about its flavour balance, weight, mouthfeel, structure and interest can readily convey your impressions of the wine and will often dictate how little or how much you need to say. Simply expressing your appreciation of the quality and interest of the wine may be all that is necessary, especially when it is accompanied by food and shared with friends and when it adds to the overall enjoyment of the occasion.
The enjoyment of drinking the wine is, after all, what it is all about.
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