Blind Tasting Flashcards
What is the main reason professional sommeliers practice blind tasting?
It helps them quickly identify classic wine styles for real-world buying and selling decisions, building wine programs that match budget, style, and clientele.
Explain why tasting is similar to learning a musical instrument.
Both require repetition and mindful practice. Just as a musician trains ear, sight, and touch for notes, a taster trains smell, taste, and sight for wine’s aromas and structure.
How does the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) approach differ from the WSET in tasting?
CMS focuses on how sommeliers evaluate wine for buying and selling (real-world hospitality). WSET focuses more on quality, marketability, and general global wine styles.
Why is mindful repetition essential for blind tasting success?
Repeatedly comparing wines and recognizing consistent aromas/flavors form strong neural pathways. Each revisit cements associations between scents, structure, and grape/region.
What is the difference between the Certified, Advanced, and Master levels of CMS tasting?
Certified: 4 wines (2 white/2 red), a written or structured short-answer grid. Advanced & Master: 6 wines in 25–30 minutes, fully verbal with a more detailed 44-point grid.
What does “the grid” do in CMS tasting?
It systematically covers sight, nose, palate, structure, and conclusions, helping tasters gather evidence and deduce a wine’s variety, region, and vintage quickly.
Why is sight (the wine’s appearance) important in blind tasting?
Color, clarity, rim variation, and density can hint at age, grape type, climate, and vinification – e.g., pale color might mean thin-skinned grape, garnet rim might suggest age, etc.
What are the 7 main appearance points in the CMS grid for white or red wine?
1) Clarity/Visible sediment, 2) Intensity of color, 3) Primary color, 4) Secondary color, 5) Rim variation, 6) Staining/Tears, 7) Gas evidence (if present).
Which four primary colors are used for white wines in the CMS approach?
Straw, Yellow, Gold, Brown (though Brown is usually a sign of oxidation/age).
Which three primary colors are used for red wines?
Purple, Ruby, Garnet. (Secondary or rim hues include magenta, orange, brick, etc.)
Why is describing the wine’s tears important?
Tears relate to alcohol (and sometimes sugar) content. Slow, thick tears usually indicate higher alcohol. Quick, thin tears often indicate lower alcohol.
What does “gas evidence” imply for wine?
Fizz or slight bubbles could show youth in whites (CO2 leftover), or refermentation. In older wines or dense reds, visible CO2 is typically a fault.
What categories of descriptors are crucial on the nose?
1) Aromatic intensity/faults, 2) Fruit (type, condition), 3) Non-fruit (floral, herbal, mineral, oak, etc.), 4) Earth/mineral, 5) Oak usage, 6) Age indicators (tertiary notes).
Why must we mention oak usage in the grid?
Identifying oak presence, type (French vs. American) and toast level are key to pinning down region or style. Oak can impart vanilla, baking spices, coconut, or dill notes.
How does the palate portion differ from the nose portion in the grid?
It verifies or expands on aromas, but focuses heavily on structure: sweetness (RS), acid, tannin (reds), alcohol, body, texture, finish, and complexity.
Which five structural elements are essential for white wines in the CMS approach?
1) Residual sugar (dry, off-dry, sweet), 2) Acidity (low–high), 3) Alcohol (low–high), 4) Body/Texture, 5) Phenolic bitterness if applicable.
Which five structural elements are essential for red wines in the CMS approach?
1) Acidity, 2) Tannin, 3) Alcohol, 4) Body/Texture, 5) Finish/complexity. (RS is usually minimal, but can matter in some reds.)
What does “IF/THEN” methodology mean in blind tasting?
It’s a logic path: If you see/taste certain traits, then certain grapes or regions become more likely, letting you eliminate others quickly.
Why do we assess structure before detailing all aromas?
Structure is objective. It narrows the possibilities fast (e.g., high tannin → fewer grapes, high acid → cooler climate or certain varieties). Then you confirm with aromas/flavors.
Give an example of how “thin-skinned vs. thick-skinned” helps with red wines.
Thin-skinned = typically lighter color, e.g. Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Grenache. Thick-skinned = deeper color, e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz.
List two main chemical constituents important for white wine identification.
1) Pyrazines (Sauvignon Blanc family) and 2) Terpenes (aromatic compounds in Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Torrontes, Viognier).
What are pyrazines, and which white grapes show them?
Pyrazines are “green” aromas (cut grass, jalapeno, green pepper). Very prominent in Sauvignon Blanc, also seen in Semillon blends. They reduce with riper fruit but remain a key clue.
Which white grapes commonly show terpenes?
Gewürztraminer, Torrontes, Muscat, Viognier are highly terpenic. Riesling, Albarino, and Chenin Blanc have medium-level terpenes. Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are low-terpene grapes.
Which white grapes commonly show lees contact?
Chablis (Chardonnay), Albarino, Pinot Grigio. Lees add texture/creaminess in neutral, lighter-bodied whites lacking strong oak influence.
Name three off-dry white styles often tested.
Vouvray (Chenin Blanc), German Kabinett/Spatlese (Riesling), and Alsace or New World Gewürztraminer (residual sugar).
Explain how you differentiate Sancerre from New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Both have pyrazines, but Sancerre is typically leaner, more minerally, medium alcohol. NZ is more pungent (jalapeno, passionfruit), fruit-forward, often slightly higher alcohol.
Which key structural element defines German Riesling?
Low alcohol (8–10%), plus high acidity. Usually off-dry with a possible petrol nuance, while still showing intense fruit (peach, green apple) and maybe botrytis.
Name three major oaked Chardonnay styles.
1) Côte de Beaune (white Burgundy), 2) California (Napa or Sonoma), 3) Australian Margaret River or other warm region. Each has different fruit/ripeness but shares oak and some malolactic.
Why is Albarino distinct from Pinot Grigio despite both being dry, medium+ acid whites?
Albarino is medium-terpene, can show stone fruit (peaches), plus slight phenolic bitterness and often sees lees contact. Pinot Grigio (Italy) is more neutral, with subtle orchard fruits, possible bitterness, but typically lower aromatics.
List the typical testable red grapes with high acidity.
Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir are consistently high in acid. Some Cabernet Franc and Gamay can also show higher acid but usually a notch lower than those three.
Name two red grapes likely to exhibit rotundone (black pepper) aroma.
Syrah/Shiraz is the prime example, with moderate pepper in Grenache, and occasionally Zinfandel. Rotundone can also show in Grüner Veltliner (white) though less commonly tested for reds.
When you detect “pyrazines” in a red wine, which grapes come to mind?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec – the Bordeaux family (and relations).
How can you distinguish Bordeaux Merlot from Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon?
Merlot is typically softer, with rounder tannins, more red/blue fruit. Cabernet shows firmer structure, darker fruit, more prominent pyrazines. They’re often blended, but the dominant grape stands out in structure/flavor.
Why might you suspect Brettanomyces in certain Old World reds?
Brett is found in many traditional European cellars (Bordeaux, southern Rhône, Rioja). Subtle “barnyard,” leather, or “Band-Aid” notes can appear. In small doses, it’s acceptable; in large, it’s faulty.
What does volatile acidity indicate, and in which grapes is it common?
Volatile acidity (vinegar-like aroma) can appear in warm climate or prolonged oak-aged reds like Sangiovese (Chianti/Brunello), Nebbiolo (Barolo), Tempranillo (Rioja). Acceptable within moderate limits.
Which grapes exemplify high tannin in red wines?
Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese (especially Brunello). They show a drying, astringent grip on the gums.
Differentiate Old World and New World Pinot Noir.
Old World (Burgundy): more earth-driven, moderate new oak, higher acid, lower alcohol, red fruit with mushroom/forest floor. New World (California): riper fruit (cherry, cola), more oak, lower acid, higher alcohol, less earthy.
Which Southern Rhône variety might have lower color density but high alcohol?
Grenache: Usually pale ruby, can show oxidation, sweet red fruit, and can reach 15% ABV or more. Often exhibits pepper and garrigue (herbs).
Give an example of a thick-skinned red with high color density and pyrazines.
Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa: deep purple/ruby, blackcurrant, green bell pepper (if moderate ripeness), high alcohol, oak-aged, big tannins.
Name a scenario where you find high color density, purple hue, but medium acid.
Shiraz from Australia: possibly inky color, black/blue fruit, medium to high alcohol, moderate acid, new oak, rotundone pepper. Compare to a Northern Rhône Syrah (higher acid).
How do you approach verifying a final grape conclusion?
Re-check structure (acid/alcohol/tannin) plus color. Confirm hallmark chemical signals (pyrazines, rotundone, brett, etc.). Evaluate oak usage, fruit profile, climate. Then deduce final region and vintage.
When forced to guess, how do you handle an incorrect final ID but correct deductions?
CMS exam scoring values your reasoning. If all descriptors logically fit a wine style but you name the wrong region, you can still earn many points. Logical defense of your call matters.
Why “taste all white wines first” and then “all reds” in an exam?
It streamlines your approach: gather quick insights (structure & typical clues) for each. Then finalize the ones you’re sure of and spend leftover time focusing on tricky wines.
What if a host wine is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot?
At CMS, if it tastes Cab-dominant, identify it as “Cabernet Sauvignon” from region X. The exam typically wants the principal grape variety, not the blend percentages unless it’s a known label (e.g. Bordeaux).
State the biggest mindset tip for blind-tasting success.
Stay calm, trust your training. Always systematically gather data from color, structure, and key grape markers. Use your theory to logically rule out improbable wines. Accept partial success – each correct justification is points earned.
How can “old vs. young” help you finalize a region for a wine?
A wine with advanced color (garnet/amber rim) or tertiary aromas suggests older vintage or earlier oxidation, likely from a region with extended cask aging (Rioja) or traditional styles (Nebbiolo). Youthful bright color suggests more recent release.
What is the best advice to maintain flow during tasting?
Work in a consistent order. Note color first, structure second, then key chemical cues. Summarize fruit/non-fruit, check any oak or age characteristics, then come to a partial conclusion. This “rhythm” keeps you efficient.
Why compare tasting to a “horse race”?
All possible grapes start at once. Each structural or aromatic clue eliminates or slows some “horses,” letting other likely grapes pull ahead. Eventually one “horse” (grape/style) crosses the finish line first in your final conclusion.
What final conclusion must you offer for each wine at CMS Certified?
Variety or blend, Country, Region/appellation, Quality level (if relevant), Vintage (estimate) – even if you’re off, strong reasoning can still earn you partial credit.
