Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

WSET 3 > 1 - The Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine > Flashcards

1 - The Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
WSET ® Level 1 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 1 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Spirits flashcards WSET® Level 4 Wine flashcards
1
Q

The purpose of the SAT (2)

A

Develop 2 fundamental skills
The ability to
1. describe a wine accurately
2. make reasonable conclusions based on these descriptions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

The format of the SAT

A

3 parts
Sections
Category headings, terms

  1. 3 sections: Appearance, Nose, Palate —> descriptive
  2. Conclusions —> evaluative
  3. Wine-lexicon —> support
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Using the SAT, calibrate palate
1. identify…
2. Draw …
3. Being able to …

A

Identify aroma and flavor characteristics and structural components.
Draw conclusions about quality and readiness for drinking.

Calibrated palate —>
Being able to classify the levels of a certain wine’s components relative to the general world of wines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Hyphenated lines -

A

Select only one of the terms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

‘E.g.’ lines

A

Not restricted to the terms, but strongly encouraged

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Using the Scales

A

5-point scale, but not equal parts

Medium is subdivided into three equal parts: medium(-), medium, medium(+)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Suitable tasting environment (4)

A
  1. Good natural lighting—> for judging the appearance
  2. Odour free —> to avoid interfering with wine aromas
  3. Sufficient space —> wine glasses and notes
  4. Spittoons
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Prepare yourself for tasting (4)

A
  1. Clean palate
  2. Well hydrated
  3. Record notes
  4. Suitable glassware & sample
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Suitable glassware and important features

A
  • odorless, colorless, free of residues
  • ISO
  • rounded bowl —> aid swirling to release aromas
  • inward sloping walls —> to capture those aromas
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Sample size

A

5 cL

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Appearance (4)

A
  1. Clarity: clear - hazy
  2. Intensity: pale - medium - deep
  3. Colour:
    Le.-green - lemon - gold - amber - brown
    Pink - salmon - orange
    Purple - ruby - garnet - tawny - brown
  4. Other observations
    E.g. Legs/tears, deposit, pétillance, bubbles
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Clarity (2)

A

clear - hazy (faulty?)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What makes a wine hazy?

A

Unusually high amount of suspended particles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is intensity related to colour

A

How much colour the wine has.

How far the colour extends from the core to the rim

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

The level of intensity can be assessed by

A
  • holding the glass at a 45 angle and looking through the liquid from above too see how far the colour extends from the core
  • looking down through an upright glass at the point where the stem of the glass is attached to the bowl (red)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Intensity (appearance) (3)

A

pale - medium - deep

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Pale

A

White wine with broad watery rim.

Red wine lightly pigmented from the rim to the core.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Deep

A

White wine where the pigment reaches almost to the rim.

Red wine intensely pigmented right up to the rim. Impossible to see the stem when looking down through the wine in the bowl.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is colour

A

The balance of levels of red/blue/yellow/green/brown found in the wine

Nb! Same through the wine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Colour vs intensity looking through the liquid

A

The colour does not change when looking through different parts of the wine in a tilted glass.
The intensity of the colour changes because of the different depth of liquid.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Where to judge the colour

A

White & rose: at the core

Red: near the rim

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Colour- white

A

Lemon-green - lemon - gold - amber - brown

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

The most common colour for white wines

A

lemon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Noticeable greenness to the colour

A

lemon-green

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Hint of orange or brown

A

gold

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Noticeable level of browning

A

amber or brown

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Colour - red wine

A

Purple - ruby - garnet - tawny - brown

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Most common colour for red wine

A

ruby

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Noticeable blue or purple colour

A

purple

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Noticeable orange or brown, but still more red than brown

A

garnet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

More brown than red

A

tawny

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

No redness in the colour remains

A

brown

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Colour - rose

A

Pink - salmon - orange

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Very pure pink colour

A

pink

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Pink with hint of orange

A

salmon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Rosé with orange as the dominant colour

A

orange

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Other observations on appearance (4)

A
  1. Legs/tears
  2. Deposit
  3. Pétillance
  4. Bubbles
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What are legs/tears

A

Streams of liquid that adhere to the side of the glass after the wine has been swirled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Legs/tears indicate

A

Sugar or high alcohol —> more viscous

Intensely coloured red wines can have visibly pigmented legs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Deposit can indicate

A

That the wine is unfined and/or unfiltered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Petillance/ slight carbon dioxide spritz

A
  • Fault (refermentation or malolactic fermentation in the bottle)
  • Dissolved carbon dioxide (in some light-bodied, unoaked white wines)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Can bubbles indicate quality?

A

Not reliably.
Too many factors can affect how the bubbles appear in the glass
I.e: Cleanliness of the wine glass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Nose (4)

A
  1. Condition: clean - unclean
  2. Intensity: light - medium(-) - medium - medium(+) - pronounced
  3. Aroma characteristics
  4. Development: youthful - developing - fully developed - tired/past its best
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Condition (2)

A

clean - unclean

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Common faults in wine (7)

A
  • TCA (Trichloroanisole)
  • Reduction
  • Sulfur dioxide
  • Oxidation
  • Out of condition
  • Volatile acidity (VA)
  • Brettanomyces (‘Brett’)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

TCA

A

Often tainted cork –> ‘corked’

Damp cardboard, muted fruit flavours, less fresh

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Reduction

A

‘stinky’ character, rotten eggs, boiled cabbage, boiled onions, blocked drains.
Can be pleasant at very low levels. Can dissipate once the bottle is open.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Sulfur dioxide

A

Added to almost all wines.
High levels: recently extinguished matches.
Low levels: mask fruitiness
Insufficient sulfur dioxide can lead to oxidation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Oxidation (neg)

A

Typically caused by a failure of the closure.

Deeper coloured, more brown. Toffee, honey, caramel, coffee, lack freshness & fruitiness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Out of condition

A

Too old or stored in bad conditions.

Lost vibrancy & freshness, may taste dull & stale.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Volatile acidity (VA)

A

All wines have some VA.
Low levels: help make the wine seem more fragrant & complex.
High levels: vinegar, nail polish remover.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Brettanomyces (‘Brett’)

A

Yeast. Plastic or animal aromas. Sticking plasters, hot vinyl, smoked meat, leather, sweaty horses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Intensity (Nose) (5)

A

light - medium(-) - medium - medium(+) - pronounced

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Aroma characteristics

A

e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

What are Primary Aromas?

A

Aromas that exist after fermentations. Some come from the grapes and others are created during the fermentation process.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Key questions for Primary Aromas and Flavours.
Are the flavours.. (5):

A
  • delicate or intense?
  • simple or complex?
  • generic or well-defined?
  • fresh or cooked?
  • under-ripe, ripe or over-ripe?
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

A simple wine may show…

A

… a very limited number of primary aromas, often all within the same cluster

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Clusters of Primary Aromas and Flavours (12)

A
  1. Floral: acacia, honeysuckle, chamomile, elderflower, geranium, blossom, rose, violet
  2. Green fruit: apple, gooseberry, pear, pear drop, quince, grape
  3. Citrus fruit: grapefruit, lemon, lime (juice or zest), orange peel, lemon peel
  4. Stone fruit: peach, apricot, nectarine
  5. Tropical fruit: banana, lychee, mango, melon, passion fruit, pineapple
  6. Red fruit: redcurrant, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, red cherry, red plum
  7. Black fruit: blackcurrant, blackberry, bramble, blueberry, black cherry, black plum
  8. Dried/cooked fruit: fig, prune, raisin, sultana, kirsch, jamminess, baked/stewed fruits, preserved fruits
  9. Herbaceous: green bell pepper (capsicum), grass, tomato leaf, asparagus, blackcurrant leaf
  10. Herbal: eucalyptus, mint, medicinal, lavendel, fennel, dill
  11. Pungent spice: black/white pepper, liquorice
  12. Other: flint, wet stones, wet wool
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Floral (8)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. acacia
  2. honeysuckle
  3. chamomile
  4. elderflower
  5. geranium
  6. blossom
  7. rose
  8. violet
60
Q

Green fruit (6)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. apple
  2. gooseberry
  3. pear
  4. pear drop
  5. quince
  6. grape
61
Q

Citrus fruit (5)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. grapefruit
  2. lemon
  3. lime (juice or zest)
  4. orange peel
  5. lemon peel
62
Q

Stone fruit (3)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. peach
  2. apricot
  3. nectarine
63
Q

Tropical fruit (6)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. banana
  2. lychee
  3. mango
  4. melon
  5. passion fruit
  6. pineapple
64
Q

Red fruit (6)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. redcurrant
  2. cranberry
  3. raspberry
  4. strawberry
  5. red cherry
  6. red plum
65
Q

Black fruit (6)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. blackcurrant
  2. blackberry
  3. bramble
  4. blueberry
  5. black cherry
  6. black plum
66
Q

Dried/cooked fruit (8)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. fig
  2. prune
  3. raisin
  4. sultana
  5. kirsch
  6. jamminess
  7. baked/stewed fruits
  8. preserved fruits
67
Q

Herbaceous (5)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. green bell pepper (capsicum)
  2. grass
  3. tomato leaf
  4. asparagus
  5. blackcurrant leaf
68
Q

Herbal (6)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. eucalyptus
  2. mint
  3. medicinal
  4. lavendel
  5. fennel
  6. dill
69
Q

Pungent spice (3)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. black/white pepper
  2. liquorice
70
Q

Other (3)

Primary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. flint
  2. wet stones
  3. wet wool
71
Q

What are Secondary Aromas?

A

Created by post-fermentation winemaking
- yeast
- MLF
- oak

72
Q

Key questions for Secondary Aromas and Flavours.
Are the flavours from.. (3):

A
  1. yeast
  2. MLF
  3. oak
73
Q

Clusters of Secondary Aromas and Flavours (3)

A
  1. Yeast (lees, autolysis): biscuit, bread, toast, pastry, brioche, bread dough, cheese
  2. MLF: butter, cheese, cream
  3. Oak: vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, coconut, butterscotch, toast, cedar, charred wood, smoke, chocolate, coffee, resinous
74
Q

Yeast (lees, autolysis) (7)

Secondary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. biscuit
  2. bread
  3. toast
  4. pastry
  5. brioche
  6. bread dough
  7. cheese
75
Q

MLF (3)

Secondary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. butter
  2. cheese
  3. cream
76
Q

Oak (12)

Secondary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. vanilla
  2. cloves
  3. nutmeg
  4. coconut
  5. butterscotch
  6. toast
  7. cedar
  8. charred wood
  9. smoke
  10. chocolate
  11. coffee
  12. resinous
77
Q

What are Tertiary Aromas?

A

From the ageing processes
- deliberate oxidation
- fruit development
- bottle age

78
Q

Key questions for Tertiary Aromas and Flavours.
Do the flavours show.. (3):

A
  1. deliberate oxidation
  2. fruit development
  3. bottle age
79
Q

Clusters of Tertiary Aromas and Flavours (5)

A
  1. Deliberate oxidation: almond, marzipan, hazelnut, walnut, chocolate, coffee, toffee, caramel
  2. Fruit development (white): dried apricot, marmalade, dried apple, dried banana, etc.
  3. Fruit development (red): fig, prune, tar, dried blackberry, dried cranberry, etc.
  4. Bottle age (white): petrol, kerosene, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, toast, nutty, mushroom, hay, honey
  5. Bottle age (red): leather, forest floor, earth, mushroom, game, tobacco, vegetal, wet leaves, savoury, meaty, farmyard
80
Q

Deliberate oxidation (8)

Tertiary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. almond
  2. marzipan
  3. hazelnut
  4. walnut
  5. chocolate
  6. coffee
  7. toffee
  8. caramel
81
Q

Fruit development (white) (2)

Tertiary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. dried apricot, apple, banana etc
  2. marmalade
82
Q

Fruit development (red) (4+)

Tertiary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. fig
  2. prune
  3. tar
  4. dried blackberry, cranberry, etc.
83
Q

Bottle age (white) (10)

Tertiary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. petrol
  2. kerosene
  3. cinnamon
  4. ginger
  5. nutmeg
  6. toast
  7. nutty
  8. mushroom
  9. hay
  10. honey
84
Q

Bottle age (red) (11)

Tertiary Aromas and Flavours

A
  1. leather
  2. forest floor
  3. earth
  4. mushroom
  5. game
  6. tobacco
  7. vegetal
  8. wet leaves
  9. savoury
  10. meaty
  11. farmyard
85
Q

Development (4)

A

youthful - developing - fully developed - tired/past its best

86
Q

What is development?

A

A measure of the balance between primary/secondary aromas and tertiary aromas.

87
Q

Youthful

Development

A

The wine is dominated by primary or secondary aromas.
Common that the secondary aromas are not yet fully integrated.

88
Q

Developing

Development

A

Most of the aromas in a wine are still primary and secondary, but some tertiary aromas can be detected.

89
Q

Fully developed

Development

A

The predominant aromas are tertiary aromas.
Can still be some primary and secondary aromas present.
Secondary aromas fully integrated and may be hard to distinguish from the tertiary aromas.

90
Q

Tired/past its best

Development

A

The attractive aromas fade and unpleasant aromas start to develop.

91
Q

Examples of ‘developing’ wines

A

Rioja Reservas

92
Q

Examples of ‘fully developed’ wines

A

age indicated Tawny Ports
all Sherries

93
Q

Wines that do not benefit from ageing
(move very rapidly from ‘youthful’ to ‘tired/past its best’ - in some cases in a matter of months)

A
  • most rosés
  • most inexpensive whites
  • many inexpensive reds
94
Q

What components can interfere with the impressions made by another on the palate? (Sweetness)

A
  • Alcohol & fruit add to the perception of sweetness
  • Acidity can mask sweetness
95
Q

Tasting, palate & interference:
Aiming to assess the … level of these components, not the … level, by reference to … criteria.

A

Aiming to assess the ACTUAL level of these components, not the APPARENT level, by reference to OBJECTIVE criteria.

96
Q

Palate (9)

A
  1. Sweetness: dry - off-dry - medium-dry - medium-sweet - sweet - luscious
  2. Acidity: low - m(-) - m - m(+) - high
  3. Tannin: low - m(-) - m - m(+) - h
  4. Alcohol: low - m - h
  5. Body: light - m(-) - m - m(+) - full
  6. Mousse: delicate - creamy - aggressive
  7. Flavour intensity: light - m(-) - m - m(+) - pronounced
  8. Flavour characteristics: e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary
  9. Finish: short - m(-) - m - m(+) - long
97
Q

Sweetness (6)

A

dry - off-dry - medium-dry - medium-sweet - sweet - luscious

98
Q

What is sweetness?

A

The taste of sugars present in the wine

99
Q

Dry (descr)

Palate - Sweetness

A

No sugar or levels that are so low that they cannot be detected by the tongue

100
Q

Off-dry (descr & ex)

Palate - Sweetness

A

A tiny amount of detectable sugar.
Ex. Alsace Gewurztraminer, Champagne, inexpensive reds and whites

101
Q

Medium-dry and medium-sweet (descr)

Palate - Sweetness

A

A distinct presence of sugar, but generally not sweet enough to parner most desserts.

102
Q

Sweet (descr & ex)

Palate - Sweetness

A

The presence of sugar has become the prominent feature of the wine.
Ex. Sauternes & Port

103
Q

Luscious (descr & ex)

Palate - Sweetness

A

The level of sugar is such that the wines are notably more viscous and the wine leaves the mouth and lips with a sticky sweet sensation after swallowing or spitting.
Ex: Rutherglen Muscats & PX Sherries

104
Q

Acidity (5)

A

low - m(-) - m - m(+) - high

105
Q

Main acids in wine

A

Tartaric and malic (from the grape juice) or lactic (converted from malic acid in all reds and many whites)

106
Q

Volatile acidity vs tartaric, malic and lactic acid

A

Unlike volatile acidity, these acids are odourless and can only be detected on the palate

107
Q

Where is acidity detected

A

For most people, acidity is detected most strongly at the sides of the tongue, where it causes a sharp, tingling sensation, and makes your mouth water as it tries to restore its natural acid balance.

108
Q

Two points to remember when considering the acidity in a wine

A
  1. High levels of sweetness and acidity can mask each other
  2. Alcohol can create a burning sensation similar to acidity

–> mouth-watering effect is always a reliable guide

109
Q

Tannin (5)

A

low - m(-) - m - m(+) - h

110
Q

Tannins are mostly extracted from …

A

the skins of the grapes during fermentation

111
Q

What causes the ‘drying sensation’ of tannins?

A

Tannins bind to your saliva and cause your mouth to dry up and feel rough

112
Q

What does the tannins contribute to a wine?

A

Textural richness

113
Q

Where can the drying sensation from tannins be felt most clearly?

A

On the gums above your front teeth.
Sometimes a bitter taste that is detected most clearly at the back of your mouth.

114
Q

Unripe vs ripe tannins

A

Unripe tannins: tend to be more aggressively astringent
Ripe tannins: contribute more to textural richness

115
Q

If the tannins are astringent - compare with body of the wine

A

Thin body: indicate low tannin levels
Full-bodied: good indication of high level of tannins

116
Q

Alcohol (3)

A

low - medium - high

117
Q

Alcohol contributes to the … and … of a wine

A

Alcohol contributes to the TEXTURE and BODY of a wine

118
Q

Alcohol is … … than water

A

Alcohol is MORE VISCOUS than water

119
Q

Alcohol at high and low levels

A

higher levels: make a wine seem heavier in the mouth and triggers pain receptors, giving a hot, burning sensation

low levels: wine can seem a bit watery (unless another component brings body, ie sugar)

120
Q

Alcohol levels in wine

A

Low: below 11% abv
Medium: 11-13.9% abv
High: 14% abv and above

121
Q

Alcohol levels in fortified wine

A

Low: 15-16.4% abv
Medium: 16.5-18.4% abv
High: 18.5% abv and above

122
Q

Body (5)

A

light - m(-) - m - m(+) - full

123
Q

Body/mouthfeel is …

A

the textural impression created by a wine.
An overall impression created by all the structural components working together.
- Alcohol
- Sugar
- Acidity: higher –> lighter
- Tannin: high –> fuller, low levels of astringent tannins –> thinner

124
Q

Mousse (3)

A

delicate - creamy - aggressive

125
Q

Creamy

Palate - Mousse

A

Most sparkling wines.
Provide a lively sparkle on the palate without weeming too frothy or aggressive.

126
Q

Aggressive

Palate - Mousse

A

Extremely lively, seem to explode on the palate, then lose all their bubbles in one quick blast.

127
Q

Delicate

Palate - Mousse

A

Very soft and fine bubbles.
Generally undergone extensive ageing, or bottled at a lower than typical pressure of dissolved carbon dioxide.

128
Q

Flavour intensity (5)

A

light - m(-) - m - m(+) - pronounced

129
Q

Flavour characteristics (3)

A

e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary

130
Q

Flavour intensity and characteristics on the nose vs the mouth

A

The warming of the wine in your mouth can make some characteristics more apparent than they were on the nose. Earthy, spicy, and toasty characteristics tend to be more prominent on the palate.
Fruity and floral characteristics are sometimes less prominent on the palate than they appear on the nose.

131
Q

Finish (5)

A

short - m(-) - m - m(+) - long

132
Q

What is the ‘finish’?

Palate

A

the collection of sensations after you have swallowed or spat the wine out.
How long the sensations linger is an important indicator of qulity (only the desirable)

133
Q

Short

Palate - Finish

A

The pleasant flavours disappear within a few seconds

134
Q

Long

Palate - Finish

A

The pleasant flavours last for a minute or more

135
Q

Conclusions (2)

A

Assessment of Quality
1. Quality level: faulty - poor - acceptable - good - very good - outstanding
2. Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing: too young - can drink now, but has potential for ageing - drink now: not suitable for ageing or further ageing - too old

136
Q

Criteria for assessing quality (4)

A
  1. Balance: fruit & sugar vs acidity & tannin. How well integrated each of the separate components are
  2. Intensity: concentration
  3. Length: how long the finish is
  4. Complexity: can come from the primary aromas and flavours alone, or from the combination of these with secondary and tertiary characteristics.
    NB! Simplicity is not always negative: sometimes purity and clarity of expression are what make a wine great (ie Icewines)
137
Q

Quality level (6)

A

faulty - poor - acceptable - good - very good - outstanding

138
Q

Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing (4)

A
  1. too young
  2. can drink now, but has potential for ageing
  3. drink now: not suitable for ageing or further ageing
  4. too old
139
Q

‘Drink now: not suitable for ageing or further ageing’

Conclusions - Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing

A

Mainly shows primary aromas and flavours, light acid or tannin structure

140
Q

‘Too old’

Conclusions - Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing

A

Seems like the wine should have been fruity, with a light tannin or acid structure, but has lost its freshness.

141
Q

May benefit from ageing

A

Firm structure of acid or tannin, and a sufficient level of flavour concentration.

The aromas and flavours develop away from primary fruit characteristics and towards more tertiary characteristics and the tannins soften.
The alcohol level does not change, and acidity and sugar levels change very little (sweet wines very slowly taste drier as they age)

Make a tentative prediction of how the wine will develop over time, and how much the developments will improve the wine, compared with how it tastes now.

142
Q

How wines develop in the bottle

A

The aromas and flavours develop away from primary fruit characteristics and towards more tertiary characteristics and the tannins soften.
The alcohol level does not change, and acidity and sugar levels change very little (sweet wines very slowly taste drier as they age)

143
Q

‘Can drink now, but has potential for ageing’

Conclusions - Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing

A

The wine is drinking pleasurably now but will improve positively in the next few years.

144
Q

‘Too young’

Conclusions - Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing

A

The wine will be so much better in a few years time that it would be a waste to drink it now.

145
Q

‘Drink now: not suitable for ageing or further ageing’

Conclusions - Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing

A

The wine has undergone an ageing process but is close to the end of its drinkable life (any further changes are unlikely to be positive), or it is in decline (the changes that have occurred are beginning to subtract from the quality of the wine).

146
Q

‘Too old’

Conclusions - Level of readiness for drinking/ potential for ageing

A

If the wine has declined so far that the negative changes have come to dominate the wine.

WSET 3 (45 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions