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Introductory Sommelier Exam CMS > Deductive Tasting Method > Flashcards

Deductive Tasting Method Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

what re the 5 criteria of deductive tasting ?

A
  1. sensory evaluation
    1.1. sight, what the wine looks like
    1.2. nose, what the wine smells like
    1.3. palate, what the wine tastes like
  2. theoretical deduction
    2.1. initial conclusion : narrowing down what the wine might be based on sensory evaluation
    2.2. final conclusion
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2
Q

how to we evaluate the sight of a wine ?

A
  1. tilt the glass away from you at 45 degrees
  2. use a white background to clearly see the details
  3. evaluate in the best light / daylight if possible
  4. hold the glass by the stem
  5. use a clean, well polished glass
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3
Q

important factors in evaluating and describing the wine

A
  1. need to asses why the wine looks the way it does
  2. what happened in the vineyard and winery to make it appear one way rather than a different way
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4
Q

what are the steps in evaluating the sight of a wine ?

A
  1. clarity / visible sediment
  2. concentration of color
  3. color
  4. secondary color and hues
  5. rim variations
  6. color extract and staining
  7. tearing
  8. gas bubbles
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5
Q

what do we evaluate with clarity / visible sediment

A
  1. is the wine clear or does it have sediments ?
    solids in the wine often have to do with
  2. winemaking technique:
    has the wine been filtered or not. filtering will remove solids
  3. age
    1.aged wines precipitate solids over time
    1. youthful, highly extracted wines may also contain sediment, but young wines often have sediment
3. scale of describing the clarity of wine
   clear  -  hazy  -  turbid
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6
Q

please talk about sediment in red wine

A
  1. color pigment and tannin precipitate or fall out as red wines age.
    the presence of sediment is the primary reason to decant aged red wines
  2. sediment can also be found in young unfiltered red wines
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7
Q

please talk about sediment in white wine

A

white wines can have sediment as well !
1. visible tartrates :
tartaric acid crystals sometimes fall out of solution and rest at the bottom of the bottle.
they are perfectly safe to consume and are part of the natural winemaking process
2. tartrates are often removed before bottling by 1 or 2 methods :
1. filtration
2. cold stabilization

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8
Q

what can color concentration be affected by in a white wine ?

A
  1. age of the wine :
  2. young white wines are light and bright in color
  3. white wines deepen in color with age, turning gold, then amber and eventually brown
  4. oxidation
    1. barrel use in fermentation or aging .
      as wine ages in barrel, it is exposed to the oxygen through the pores of the wood, oxidizing the wine, deepening the color
    2. age : over time wines become exposed to small amounts of air in the bottle
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9
Q

what can color concentration be affected by in a red wine ?

A
  1. grape variety :
    each grape variety is unique in the amount of color it can give to the wine
  2. grape extraction :
    when grapes are vilified into wine the winemaker has a hand in how much color is extracted from the grape
  3. age :
    red wines lighten in color as they age, often appearing dull and having a tendency to brown
  4. scale :
    pale - medium - deep
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10
Q

what clues can the color of the wine give ?

A
  1. age :
    although aged wines tend to be darker than young ones, this can be deceiving since some grape varieties have natural colors that may look aged even when youthful.
  2. storage conditions :
    has the wine oxidized or turned darker due to a warm environment
  3. possible grape variety :
    some grape varieties produce wines with a distinct color
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11
Q

please name the color scale for white wines

A
  1. straw
  2. yellow
  3. gold
  4. amber
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12
Q

please name the color scale for red wines

A
  1. purple
  2. ruby
  3. garnet
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13
Q

what indication can the secondary colors and hues give ?

A

they can give the indication of age, climate and grape variety

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14
Q

what are the secondary colors in white wine ?

A
  1. silver
  2. green
  3. copper, brassy tones
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15
Q

what are the secondary colors in red wine ?

A
  1. ruby
  2. garnet
  3. orange
  4. brown
  5. blue
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16
Q

what is a rim variation ?

A

the color difference between the wine at its core and at its age

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17
Q

what do rim variations indicate ?

A
  1. age :
    the older the wine the more variation there is likely to be
    youthful red wines may show a slight rim variation with bright pink, almost fuchsia like hues at the edge
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18
Q

why do color extract and staining occur ?

A

intense extraction or staining of color on the glass can occur as a natural by-product of :
1. a warm climate
2. highly pigmented grape varieties
3. intense extraction can also incur due to choices made by the winemaker during vinification

  1. scale:
    none - light - medium - heavy
  2. only mention extraction once evident in the glass
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19
Q

what are tears/tearing ?

A

tears or sometimes called legs are created by alcohol and/or residual sugar in the wine, reacting with oxygen in the air creating surface tension or tears on the glass

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20
Q

think vs thin tears, what are the reasons

A
  1. thin tears, that dissipate quickly or sheet on the glass rather than retaining their shape indicate a lower level of alcohol
  2. thick, slow moving tears often indicate a higher level of alcohol
  3. thick tears do not necessarily indicate a heavy or especially viscous wine
  4. scale :
    light - medium - heavy
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21
Q

please speak to gas bubbles in the wine

A
  1. some wines retain a small amount of carbon dioxide co2, when bottled, giving the wine a slight impression of spritz on the palate .
  2. excess co2 can indicate a flawed bottle, indicating a bottle undergoing an unwanted 2nd are fermentation,
  3. but it is not necessary a fault
    it could indicate that the wine was bottled very soon after fermentation at cool temperatures and / or bottled under screw cap
  4. only mention gas if you actually see it in the wine
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22
Q

what are the techniques in smelling a wine ?

A
  1. swirl the wine while holding the stem, this helps to release the aromas from the glass into the air
  2. take one deep or a few short sniffs with your nose into the glass. do not sniff too deeply or rapidly , this can cause your sense of smell to be desensitized
  3. pause after each sniff to evaluate the aromas of the wine
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23
Q

what are the steps in evaluating the nose of the wine ?

A
  1. clean or faulty
  2. intensity of aromas
  3. age assessment
  4. describing fruit aroma in wine
  5. fruit character
  6. non-fruit character
  7. earth and mineral character
  8. wood/oak
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24
Q

what are the possible flaws in the smell of a wine to evaluate if they are clean or faulty ?

A
  1. trichloranisole ( tca) / corkiness
  2. oxidation
  3. volatile acidity ( va)
  4. ethyl acetate (ea)
  5. excess sulfur dioxide ( so2)
  6. brettanomyces
  7. hydrogen sulfide ( h2s)
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25
Q

what is trichloranisole ( tca) / corkiness ?

A
  1. this chemical compound makes the wine smell like . wet moldy cardboard or musty old newspaper
  2. it can be caused by corks, barrels or an entire winery tainted by tea
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26
Q

what is the oxidation flaw on the nose ?

A
  1. oxidized wines have more muted, dried out aromas than fruit scents.
    can also develop bitter flavors
  2. oxidation is caused by age or by poor storage conditions .
  3. too long and poorly stored wines will undergo breakdown in color, flavor and aroma due to excessive exposure to oxygen
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27
Q

what is volatile acidity ?

A
  1. this is a catch all term referring to the presence of acetic acid giving a wine vinegary aromas
  2. acetic acid is the main component of vinegar
  3. it is produced when the bacteria acetobacter or certain wild yeast and oxygen are present during fermentation process
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28
Q

what is ethyl acetate ?

A
  1. ethyl acetate forms from the reaction of ethanol and acetic acid
  2. imparts a distinct aroma of a struck matchstick or of wet wool
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29
Q

what is bettanomyces ?

A
  1. bettanomyces is a yeast growth
  2. giving wines aroma ranging from
    smoke, cloves, spices to band aid and manure
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30
Q

what is hydrogen sulfite ( H2 S)

A
  1. hydrogen sulfite is a consequence of inadequate yeast nutrition during fermentation
  2. can give wines unpleasant aromas of
    1.onion
    2.rubber
  3. rotten eggs
31
Q

how is the scale of intensity of aromas ?

A
  1. low ( delicate
  2. moderate
  3. high ( powerful
32
Q

what words are we using to describe the age assessment of a wine ?

A
  1. youthful : young, bright, primary fresh fruit aromas
  2. developing : beginning to show signs of age
  3. vinous : signs of age and oxidation
33
Q

describe fruit aromas in white wine

A
  1. citrus fruit :
    lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, tangerine
  2. apple / pear :
    green, red or yellow apples and pears
  3. stone and pit fruits :
    peach, nectarine apricot
  4. tropical fruit :
    pineapple, mango, papaya, passion fruit
  5. melon :
    cantaloupe, honeydew
34
Q

describe fruit aromas in red wine

A
  1. red fruit :
    cherry, raspberry, red plum, cranberry, strawberry, pommegrante
  2. black fruit :
    blackberry, black cherry, black plum, black currant
  3. blue fruit :
    blue berry, boysenberry
35
Q

what are the conditions or fruit character of fruit you smell ?

A
  1. ripe
  2. fresh
  3. tart
    4.baked
  4. stewed / cooked
  5. dried
  6. desiccated
  7. bruised
  8. jammy / prmeserves
36
Q

name 10 non fruit character aromas

A
  1. floral aromas :
  2. in white wines : yellow (daisy), white
    (jasmine, baby’s breath, honeysuckle )
  3. in red whines : red ( roses), purple ( lilac, violet)
  4. other descriptors : fresh, dried
  5. vegetal aromas :
  6. in white wines : bell pepper and jalapeño pepper
  7. in red whines : bell pepper and jalapeño pepper
  8. herbal or green aromas :
  9. in white wines : freshly cut grass
  10. in red whines : oregano, sage, thyme
  11. spices :
  12. in white wines : white peppercorn
  13. in red whines : black peppercorn
  14. animal or barn yard
  15. petrol:
    fuel, gasoline
  16. fermentation :
    malolactic fermentation, carbonic maceration, lees contact
  17. botrytis :
    honey, ginger, saffron, mushroom
  18. leather
  19. tobacco

and many, many more

37
Q

name 5 descriptors each for earth and mineral character

A
  1. earth, living earth
  2. forest floor
  3. mushroom/ truffle
  4. freshly turned earth
  5. compost
  6. potting soil
  7. mineral, non-living earth
  8. chalk
  9. flint
  10. limestone
  11. slate
  12. wet stone
38
Q

name 8 descriptors to describe oak flavor

A
  1. cedar
  2. coconut
  3. dried baking spices (clove, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg
  4. dill
  5. smoke
  6. sawdust
  7. toast
39
Q

what effect has a large oak barrel on wine

A

less wine is in contact with the barrel, therefor little oaky flavor is imparted
however older barrels that do no longer impart wood based aromas and flavors can continue to contribute oxidative notes and textural effects to the wine

40
Q

what effect has a small oak barrel or barrique on wine

A

more wine is in contact with the barrel imparting more wood- based aromas and flavors to the wine

41
Q

what effect has a older oak on wine

A

oak barrels loose the potency of flavor impact appreciably after each use.
after the 4th to 6th year the barrel is essentially deemed neutral but still has an impact with oxidative notes and textural effects

42
Q

what effect has new oak on wine

A

new or 1st use barrels will impart the most pungent flavors to a wine like :
1. baking spice
2. smoke
3. toast
4. vanilla

43
Q

what effect has French oak on wine

A

tends to be subtle in aroma and flavor with notes of
1. cedar
2. dried baking spices
3. sawdust
4. vanilla bean

44
Q

what effect has American oak on wine

A

tends to be stronger in aroma and flavor with notes of
1. caramel
2. coconut
3. dill / dried herbs
4. sawdust
5. vanilla extract

45
Q

what are the 2 steps in evaluating the palate, how a wine tastes

A
  1. evaluating and describing flavor elements
  2. . evaluating and describing structure and other elements on the palate
46
Q

what are the 8 points in evaluating and describing the flavor elements on the palate

A

they are almost the same as used for the wine’s nose:
1. fruit flavors
2. fruit character
3. non-fruit flavors
4. earth
5. mineral
6. oak indicators
7. any new flavors that were not in the wine’s nose
8. has the wine changed on the palate ? if so describe how

47
Q

what are the 9 points in evaluating and describing the structure and other elements on the palate

A
  1. dryness - sweetness
  2. phenolic bitterness for white wines
  3. tannin for red wines
  4. acidity
  5. alcohol
  6. body
  7. texture
  8. balance
  9. length - finish
    9.complexity
48
Q

what describes dryness - sweetness and how do we describe the level of dryness - sweetness

A

describes the presence or lack of residual sugar in the wine
bone dry / dry / off dry / medium-sweet / sweet / lusciously sweet

49
Q

how do we describe the level of phenolic bitterness for white wines

A

yes / no
does the wine taste bitter

50
Q

how are tannins sensed and how do we describe the level of tannins in red wine

A

tannins are sensed as astringency or bitterness, comes mainly from the skin and sometimes the seeds
low / medium- / medium / medium + / high

51
Q

how is acidity sensed and how do we describe the level of acidity

A

focus on the salivary glands and the finish. does the wine taste refreshing or overly tart ?
does it have enough acidity or does it taste flabby and unfocused
low / medium- / medium / medium + / high

52
Q

how is alcohol sensed and how do we describe the level of alcohol

A

sensed as heat in the nose, throat and chest
low / medium- / medium / medium + / high

53
Q

how is body sensed and how do we describe the level of body

A

the feeling of weight on the palate
low / medium / full

54
Q

how do we describe the level of texture

A

lean / round / creamy / other textures

55
Q

what do we look out for regarding balance

A

do es one of the elements dominate the other elements, if so, the wine may not be in proper balance

56
Q

how is length / finish sensed and how do we describe the level of length / finish

A
  1. how long do the flavors stay on the palate after swallowing
  2. do the flavors remain constant or do they change
  3. what is the quality of the finish :
    short / medium - / medium / medium + / long
57
Q

what does complexity refer to and how is it described

A

complexity refers to the number of aromas and flavors in the wine and how they react with each other
low / medium - / medium / medium + / high

58
Q

how do we get to the conclusion of what wine it is

A
  1. break it down into initial and final conclusion
  2. take evidence gained from the sight, nose and the impressions the wine makes on your palate
  3. listen to yourself and use the process of deduction
  4. know makers of classic grape varieties and wine styles
    5.use benchmark wines tasted in the past as frames of taste reference
59
Q

name the 5 points how to draw the initial conclusion

A
  1. possible grape varieties
  2. old or new world
  3. climate
  4. possible countries
  5. age range
60
Q

how do we figure out the possible grape variations ?

A
  1. record and know the markers fro classic grape varieties and styles in order to be able to identify them
  2. employ the deductive tasting method to gain valuable experience
  3. look for these elements to help you determine from which grape/s the wine was made:
  4. the color
  5. telltale or typical aromas or flavors
  6. typical structural elements
61
Q

what are old world characteristics

A
  1. dominance of earth and/or mineral character
  2. dominance of non-fruit aromas and flavors
  3. the fruit is restrained compared to non-fruit and earth aromas and flavors
  4. the fruit becomes tart on the palate
  5. non-fruit aromas and flavors become more apparent in the finish
62
Q

what are new world characteristics

A
  1. there is no dominant earth or mineral flavor
  2. fruit aromas and flavors lead and dominate the non-fruit elements
  3. the fruit smells sweet and ripe thus dominating the nose
  4. the fruit stays ripe or gets riper on the palate
63
Q

what to remember and why it is important to distinguish between old and new world

A

old and new world often, but not always exhibit different characteristics . Although it is not fool proof, but it can be useful, when trying to reach an initial conclusion
1. why ? give reasons why old or new world
2. giving reasons will help you rememn=mer what you have said throughout and helping to determine, if you are on the right track
3. do the reasons make sense based on your tasting descriptions
4. remember it is all about cause and effect

64
Q

what are cool climate characteristics

A

1.acidity is elevated for the grape variety
2. alcohol is more restrained
3. the fruit tastes and smells somewhat tart
4. the wine feels linear on the palate

65
Q

what are warm climate characteristics

A

1.acidity is restrained for the grape variety
2. alcool is elevated
3. the fruit seems ripe, maybe even jammy
4. the wine feels round and lush on the palate

66
Q

what questions do you ask yourself regarding the climate where the wine grew

A
  1. did the grapes grow in a
    cool, moderate or warm climate
  2. give reasons for your answer
  3. do your reasons make sense based on tasting descriptions
  4. again remember cause and effect
67
Q

what questions do you ask yourself regarding the the country where the wine grew

A
  1. classically, which regions or countries make wine like this
  2. what are the logical options based on the grape varieties mentioned
68
Q

what questions do you ask yourself regarding the age of the wine

A
  1. is the wine
    1-3 years old ? 3-5 years ? 5to 10 years ? more than 10 years
  2. consider these elements in the wine when trying to answer that last question
  3. color
  4. rim variation
  5. youth vs vinous aromas and flavors
  6. quality of texture and finish
69
Q

in the final conclusion what information about the wine do you give

A
  1. grape variety or blend
  2. country, region, appellation
  3. appellation quality level
  4. vintage:
  5. a final check of the color of the wine
  6. use theoretical knowledge of vintage
  7. add 6 month for southern hemisphere wines
70
Q

what are the appellation quality levels for Burgundian

A

village vs premier cru vs grand cru

71
Q

what are the appellation quality levels for German riesling ( ripeness )

A

kabinett vs spaetlese vs auslese

72
Q

what are the appellation quality levels for Rioja

A

crianza vs reserva vs gran reserva

73
Q
A

Introductory Sommelier Exam CMS (4 decks)

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