CMS Tasting Method

Question 1

Areas of evaluating tasting

Answer 1

Sight
Nose
Palate

Question 2

Sight

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Sight: White Wine

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Sight: Red Wine

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Concentration of Color

Answer 5

Intensity or depth of color
Gives us clues:
-age
-storage conditions
-possible grape variety

Pale/Medium/Deep

Question 6

Rim Variation

Answer 6

Phenomenon of age
Color difference between core and rim
The older the wine, the more rim variation (only happens with red wine)

Question 7

Tearing

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Nose

Answer 8

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?

Question 9

Intensity of Aroma

Answer 9

Low (delicate)
Moderate
High (powerful)

Question 10

Age Assessment

Answer 10

Scale:

Youthful - young, bright, primary fresh fruit aromas

Developing - beginning to show signs of age

Vinous - signs of age and oxidation

Question 11

Describing Aroma (White)

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

Describing Aroma (Red)

Answer 12

Red Fruits: Cherry, raspberry, red plum, cranberry, strawberry, pomegranate

Black Fruits: Blackberry, black cherry, black plum, black currant

Blue Fruits: Blueberry, boysenberry

Question 13

Condition of the Fruit from the Nose

Answer 13

Is the fruit…

Ripe
Fresh
Tart
Baked
Cooked/Stewed
Dried
Desiccated
Bruised
Preserved/Jam

Question 14

Describing Aroma from the Nose (Nonfruit)

Answer 14

Flowers
Spices
Herbs
Vegetal
Animal
Fermentation
Petrol
Butter
Honey
Leather
Tobacco

Question 15

Describing Aroma from the Nose (Earth)

Answer 15

Forest floor
Compost
Mushrooms/truffle
Potting soil
Fresh-turned earth

Question 16

Describing the Aroma from the Nose (Mineral)

Answer 16

Wet stone
Limestone
Chalk
Slate
Flint

Question 17

Old World

Answer 17

Dominance of earth or mineral character.
Dominance of nonfruit

Question 18

New World

Answer 18

Lack of any dominant earth or mineral character.
Fruit leads and dominates the non fruit elements.

Question 19

Describing the Aroma from the Nose (Oak)

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Palate: Describing the Flavor

Answer 20

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?

Question 21

Structure

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Phenolic Bitterness (white wine)

Answer 22

Cause: specific grape varietals
Effect: sensed as bitterness and/or astringency.
Yes or No? Make a note of it.

Question 23

Tannin (red wine)

Answer 23

Cause: from grape skin and or oak
Effect: sensed as bitterness and/or astringency.
Low / Medium- / Medium / Medium + /High

Question 24

Acidity vs Alcohol

Answer 24

Acidity:
Focus on the salivary glands and the finish.

Alcohol:
Sensed as heat in the nose, throat and chest.

Low to High Scale

Question 25

Body vs Texture

Answer 25

Body:
Weight of the wine
Alcohol, glycerin and grape solids
Light / Medium / Full

Texture:
The feel of the wine on the palate.
Lean / Creamy / Round / Other textures

Question 26

Balance vs Length/Finish vs Complexity

Answer 26

Balance: Does any one element dominate?

Length/Finish:
- Length of time wine flavors stay on the palate after swallowing.

Short /Medium - /Medium /Medium + /High

Quality of the finish: tart, astringent, silky, bitter.

Complexity: The number of aromas and flavors in the wine.

Low /Medium - /Medium /Medium + /High