TASTING

Question 1

What are the four primary categories to describe when tasting a wine?

Answer 1

APPEARANCE
NOSE
PALATE
CONCLUSIONS

Question 2

What are the 4 sub-categories to consider within a wine’s APPEARANCE

Answer 2

1. Clarity: Clear –– hazy
2. Color
3. Intensity: Pale –– Medium –– Deep
4. Other Observations: bubbles, deposits

Question 3

What is the spectrum of color for a white wine, lightest to darkest?

Answer 3

lemon-green
lemon
gold
amber
brown

Question 4

What is the spectrum of color for a red wine, lightest to darkest?

Answer 4

Purple
Ruby
Garnet
Tawny
Brown

Question 5

What are the 4 sub-categories to consider within a wine’s NOSE?

Answer 5

1. Condition: clean or faulty
2. Aroma intensity
3. Aroma characteristics
4. Development: youthful, developing, fully developed, or tired

Question 6

What is the spectrum of aroma intensity?

Answer 6

Light
Medium -
Medium
Medium +
Pronounced

Question 7

What are the 9 sub-categories to consider within a wine’s PALATE?

Answer 7

1. Sweetness
2. Tannins
3. Acidity
4. Balance
5. Finish
6. Flavor intensity
7. Mousse
8. Alcohol
9. Flavor characteristics

Question 8

What are the sub-categories to consider when making a CONCLUSION about wine?

Answer 8

Readiness to drink: too young, can drink now but has aging potential, drink now cannot be aged, past its prime
Quality: Faulty, poor, acceptable, good, very good, outstanding

Question 9

What are the 12 categories of primary aromas?

Answer 9

1. Red fruit: strawberries, red cherries, red currant, cranberry
2. Black fruit: black currant, black cherries, blackberries, blueberries
3. Stone fruit: apricots, peach
4. Citrus fruit: Oranges, lemons, limes [peel or zest], grapefruit
5. Tropical fruit: melons, bananas, mangos, pineapple
6. Cooked fruit: figs, prunes, baked fruits
7. Green fruit: green apples, pears
8. Floral: roses, violets
9. Herbaceousness: asparagus, tomato leaf, grass
10. Other: flint, wet stones, wet wool
11. Herbal: Dried mint, eucalyptus, fennel, dill
12. Pungent spice: Liquorices, black/white pepper

Question 10

What are the 3 core categories of secondary aromas?

Answer 10

Oak –– Vanilla, charred wood, smoke, cloves
Yeast –– Bread, biscuit, pastry
MLF –– Butter, cheese, cream