Systematic Approach To Tasting Wine

Question 1

Appearance
List the three levels of wine intensity

Answer 1

Pale - Medium - Deep

Question 2

Appearance - Colour
List the 5 levels of colour intensity of
White Wine

Answer 2

(Lemon-green we’re avoiding for calibration purposes) , Lemon, Gold, Amber, Brown

Note: Lemon is the most common colour for White Wine

Question 3

Appearance - Colour
List the 3 levels of colour intensity of
Rosé Wine

Answer 3

Pink - Salmon - Orange

Question 4

Appearance - Colour
List the 5 levels of colour intensity of
Red Wine

Answer 4

(Purple we’re avoiding for calibration purposes) - Ruby - Garnet - Tawny - Brown

Note: Ruby is the most common colour for Red Wine

Question 5

Nose - Intensity

List 5 levels of wine intensity

Answer 5

Light - Medium(-) - Medium - Medium(+) - Pronounced

Question 6

Nose - Aroma Characteristics

List the (up to) 3 levels of Aroma

Answer 6

e.g. Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Question 7

Palate - Sweetness

Levels of sweetness?

Answer 7

Range limited for simplification…
Dry
(Off-dry we’re avoiding for calibration purposes),
Medium Sweet
Sweet (eg Beerenauslese)
Luscious (eg, Trockenbeerenauslese)

Question 8

Palate - Acidity

List the 5 levels of acidity

Answer 8

Low - Medium(-) - Medium - Medium(+) - High

Question 9

Palate - Tannin

List the 5 levels of Tannin

Answer 9

Low - Medium(-) - Medium - Medium(+) - High

Question 10

Palate - Alcohol

List the 3 levels of Alcohol

Answer 10

Low - Medium - High

Question 11

Palate - Body

List the 5 levels of wine body

Answer 11

Light - Medium(-) - Medium - Medium(+) - Full

Question 12

Palate - Flavour Intensity

List the 5 levels of Flavour Intensity

Answer 12

Light - Medium(-) - Medium - Medium(+) - Pronounced

Question 13

Palate - Flavour Characteristics

Name the 3 levels of flavour characteristics

Answer 13

e.g. Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Question 14

Palate - Finish

List the 5 levels of taste finish

Answer 14

Short - Medium(-) - Medium - Medium(+) - Long

Question 15

Conclusions - Assessment of Quality

List the 6 levels of wine quality

Answer 15

Faulty - Poor - Acceptable - Good - Very Good - Outstanding

Question 16

Conclusions - Assessment of Quality

List the 4 levels of Readiness for drinking / Potential for ageing

Answer 16

Too Young
Can drink now but has potential for ageing
Drink now: Not suitable for ageing or further ageing
Too Old

Question 17

What is the acronym for assessing the Quality level of a wine?

Answer 17

Balance
Length
Intensity
Complexity

Question 18

With BLIC what would these score?
1/4
2/4
3/4
4/4

Answer 18

1/4 Acceptable quality
2/4 Good quality
3/4 Very good quality
4/4 Outstanding quality
Always include the word ‘quality’

Question 19

If you decide the quality of a wine is just ‘acceptable’ what should you write up in the aroma / tasting notes?

Answer 19

Write ‘simple’

Question 20

If a red wine has tertiary notes what words might you write for both aroma and taste to describe it?

Answer 20

leather, meaty,

Question 21

What colour are ‘most’ dry white wines?

Answer 21

Lemon

Question 22

How many Aroma notes should you try to list?

Answer 22

Aroma 8 at least