Wine Tasting

Introduction
Over the last twenty years there has been a shift in wine availability and consumption. In the past it was predominantly French, German and Italian wines that were the favourites and ‘respectable’ wine was purchased from your local wine merchant. However, recently things have changed dramatically, Australia is the number two producer in the market, New World producers are soaring up the ratings chart, producing wine that is vibrant, fruity, wholesome and most of all predictable and the choice of wine on offer at your local supermarket has never been so diverse and affordable. So get out there and start buying as wine is there to be enjoyed by everyone, and there has never been so much good wine available as there is today!

Tasting

Mysterious though it may seem, wine tasting is not just an art reserved for those sporting large noses, but one that given time any ‘Joe’ can acquire.

Step 1

Fill your glass about one third full, allowing enough room for plenty of swirling but giving you enough liquid for a full aroma.

Step 2

Hold the glass up to the light and preferably against a white background. Observe the colour, is it clear or cloudy, deep red or paler pink, is there any sediment? Older red wines fade to a browny colour at the rim.

Give it a good swirl around the glass to release the aromatic compounds in the wine. Position your nose slightly below the rim of the glass and inhale slowly for a few seconds. Two or three sniffs will be enough, after this your sense of smell will be neutralised. Relate what you smell to other pleasant aromas, ‘freshly mown grass’, ‘ripe blackberries’, be as adventurous as you like, it’s part of the fun!

Now the most important part, take a sip and move the wine around in your mouth so that it reaches every taste bud, if you take in air at the same time it helps to maximise the flavours. Jot down how it tastes, is it acidic, sweet or dry, is it light or full bodied? How long do the flavours linger on the palette? (known as length).

The Five Principle Elements
Acidity

Acid flavours provide crispness and a fresh taste, however too much and the wine will taste sharp and bitter.

The higher the alcoholic content of the wine the ‘rounder’ it will feel in the mouth.

This is determined by the sugar content in the wine and is usually fairly easy to detect, however don’t confuse dryness with acidity.

The smell and taste of wine can be likened to a multitude of things, so let your imagination run free and see what you can come up with!

Tannin is responsible for the furry, dry feeling left on your tongue after a mouthful of very young red wine. It is present in the skins, stalks and pips of the grapes and will soften with age.

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