Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. Wines are made up of chemical compounds which are similar or identical to those in fruits, vegetables, and spices. The sweetness of wine is determined by the amount of residual sugar in the wine after fermentation, relative to the acidity present in the wine. Dry wine, for example, has only a small amount of residual sugar. Inexperienced wine drinkers often tend to mistake the taste of ripe fruit for sweetness when, in fact, the wine in question is very dry.
Individual flavors may also be detected, due to the complex mix of organic molecules such as esters and terpenes that grape juice and wine can contain. Tasters often can distinguish between flavors characteristic of a specific grape (e.g., Chianti and sour cherry) and flavors that result from other factors in wine making, either intentional or not. The most typical intentional flavor elements in wine are those that are imparted by aging in oak casks; chocolate, vanilla, or coffee almost always come from the oak and not the grape itself.
Banana flavors (isoamyl acetate) are the product of yeast metabolism, as are spoilage aromas such as sweaty, barnyard, band-aid and rotten egg (hydrogen sulfide). Some varietals can also have a mineral flavor, because some salts are soluble in water (like limestone), and are absorbed by the wine.
Wine aroma comes from volatile compounds in the wine that are released into the air. Vaporization of these compounds can be sped up by twirling the wine glass or serving the wine at room temperature. For red wines that are already highly aromatic, like Chinon and Beaujolais, many people prefer them chilled.
How to Taste Wine
Whether professional or recreational, wine tasting is a multi-sensory experience. Although not formally considered part of wine tasting, even hearing is involved in the process, beginning with the distinctive sounds of the bottle being open and the wine being poured into its glass. The other senses are involved in a more direct way. Here are some tips for involving your senses to the fullest when tasting wine:
- Sight : Using a clear glass, and holding it up to a white background will help you to enjoy a wine's true color. Tilt the wine in the glass slightly and take a good look. Depending on the type of wine in your glass, you may see deep reddish brown, bright ruby red or warm gold. Color can give you a clue about a wine's age. White wines usually gain color as they age while older red wines lose color.
- Smell : If you use a glass with a rim that bends inwards, it will help you to enjoy the complex scent of a wine. Swirling the wine around in the glass coats its sides and allows you to experience the full fragrance. Scents actually vary from the top to the bottom of the glass. Lighter floral and fruity scents rise to the top while deeper, richer aromas can be found toward the bottom.
- Taste : To fully experience the taste of a wine, swirl a little bit of it in your mouth to cover all your taste buds. Take a moment to enjoy the flavor before either swallowing or spitting out the wine. In addition to the initial taste, you will find there is also an aftertaste to the wine, usually referred to as the finish.
- Touch : When the wine is in your mouth, it provides a tactile experience, often referred to as "mouthfeel," in addition to the taste. Some wines feel refreshing on the tongue while others might feel velvety, flat or even prickly. The prickliness comes from tannins which are used in red wine to keep it fresh. The younger the red wine, the higher the tannin content and more prickly the feel.
Wine Tasting Venues
If you are interested in wine tasting, there are many available venues for you to try. Wine tasting events are often offered at wineries, wine bars and wine schools.
You might even decide to host a wine tasting party. For a great event that your friends will remember, be sure to include appetizers to enjoy before the tasting, bread to cleanse the palate between wines, clean wine glasses, dump buckets to deposit unused wine before next pouring, four to six types of wine, pitchers of water for rinsing glasses and palates between wines. You may also want to include tasting cards, so guests can record their wine tasting experiences.