CMS Tasting Method Flashcards
Areas of evaluating tasting
Sight
Nose
Palate
Sight
Clarity
-turbidity - the amount of solids in the wine
-wine making technique
-filtered vs unfiltered
-age: Aged wines can precipitate sediment
Youthful, highly extracted wine may also contain sediment
Clarity Scale: Clear/Hazy/Turbid
Sight: White Wine
Sediment and Particles:
Visible tartrates
Seen as crystals
Often removed before bottling
-filtration and cold stabilization
Mention if there
Primary Colors:
Straw/Yellow/Gold
Secondary Colors:
Silver, Green, Copper, Gold
Sight: Red Wine
Color pigment and tannin precipitate as red wine ages
Sediment is also found in young unfiltered red wine
Mention if there
Primary Colors:
Purple/Ruby or Red/Garnet
Secondary Colors:
Ruby, Garnet, Orange, Brown, Blue
Concentration of Color
Intensity or depth of color
Gives us clues:
-age
-storage conditions
-possible grape variety
Pale/Medium/Deep
Rim Variation
Phenomenon of age
Color difference between core and rim
The older the wine, the more rim variation (only happens with red wine)
Tearing
Created by: Alcohol and Residual Sugar
Shape and cleanliness of glass
Thin vs Thick tears
- thinker means more glycerin
Staining and coloration
Scale:
Light/Medium/Heavy
Nose
Most important aspect of tasting. Aroma accounts for 85% of flavor.
Swirling releasing the aromas by letting oxygen in there.
Is the wine clean or flawed?
Intensity of Aroma
Low (delicate)
Moderate
High (powerful)
Age Assessment
Scale:
Youthful - young, bright, primary fresh fruit aromas
Developing - beginning to show signs of age
Vinous - signs of age and oxidation
Describing Aroma (White)
- Apple/Pear: green, red, or yellow apples, pears
- Citrus: lemon, like, orange, grapefruit, tangerine
- Stone/Pitted Fruit: peach, nectarine, apricot
- Tropical Fruit: Pineapple, mango, papaya, passion fruit
- Melon: cantaloupe, honeydew
Describing Aroma (Red)
Red Fruits: Cherry, raspberry, red plum, cranberry, strawberry, pomegranate
Black Fruits: Blackberry, black cherry, black plum, black currant
Blue Fruits: Blueberry, boysenberry
Condition of the Fruit from the Nose
Is the fruit…
Ripe
Fresh
Tart
Baked
Cooked/Stewed
Dried
Desiccated
Bruised
Preserved/Jam
Describing Aroma from the Nose (Nonfruit)
Flowers
Spices
Herbs
Vegetal
Animal
Fermentation
Petrol
Butter
Honey
Leather
Tobacco
Describing Aroma from the Nose (Earth)
Forest floor
Compost
Mushrooms/truffle
Potting soil
Fresh-turned earth
Describing the Aroma from the Nose (Mineral)
Wet stone
Limestone
Chalk
Slate
Flint
Old World
Dominance of earth or mineral character.
Dominance of nonfruit
New World
Lack of any dominant earth or mineral character.
Fruit leads and dominates the non fruit elements.
Describing the Aroma from the Nose (Oak)
Baking spices
Vanilla
Dill
Coconut
Is it there or isn’t it?
Certain aromas can give an indication of the type and size of barrel used.
Scale:
None
Large barrels vs small barrique
Old oak vs new oak
French vs American
Palate: Describing the Flavor
Fruit
Fruit condition
Non-fruit flavors
Earth
Mineral
Wood (oak indicators)
Anything new that was not there on the nose or has changed on the palate?
Structure
Physical sensations in mouth, throat and chest.
Sweetness/Dryness
- the presence of residual sugar in wine
- Bone Dry/Dry/Off-Dry/Medium Sweet/Sweet/Lusciously Sweet
Phenolic Bitterness (white wine)
Cause: specific grape varietals
Effect: sensed as bitterness and/or astringency.
Yes or No? Make a note of it.
Tannin (red wine)
Cause: from grape skin and or oak
Effect: sensed as bitterness and/or astringency.
Low / Medium- / Medium / Medium + /High
Acidity vs Alcohol
Acidity:
Focus on the salivary glands and the finish.
Alcohol:
Sensed as heat in the nose, throat and chest.
Low to High Scale
