Tasting And Evaluating Wine Flashcards
How do you describe appearance?
Intensity: pale - medium - deep
Colour:
lemon-gold-amber
Pink-pink orange-orange
Purple-ruby-garnet-tawny
How do you describe scent?
Intensity: light-medium-pronounced
Characteristics: primary - secondary - tertiary
How do you describe sweetness?
Dry - off dry - medium - sweet
How do you describe acidity?
Low - medium - high
How do you describe tannin?
Low - medium - high
How do you describe alcohol?
Low - medium - high
How do you describe body?
Light - medium - full
How to describe flavour intensity?
Light - medium - pronounced
How to describe flavour characteristics?
Primary- secondary - tertiary
How do you describe finish?
Short - medium - long
How do you describe quality?
Poor - acceptable - good - very good - outstanding
What does lees mean
Yeast
Where do primary aromas come from
Grapes or during fermentation
Where do secondary aromas come from
Post - fermentation wine making
Where do tertiary aromas come from
Ageing processes
What does a dry wine taste like
No sugar, or such low sugar that it cannot be detected
What does an off dry wine taste like
Tiny amount of detectable sugar
What does a medium (sweetness) wine taste like)
Distinct presence of sugar, but not sweet enough to partner desserts
What does a sweet wine taste like
Sugar is prominent feature of the wine
How to detect acidity
If mouth salivates after swallowing
What can mask high acidity
High sugar. Mouth watering effect still serves as a valid indicator
Is acidity more obvious in dry or sweet wines
Dry
What do tannins do
Bind to saliva and cause a drying effect in the mouth
Other than dryness, how can you (sometimes) detect tannin
Butter taste lingering at back of mouth
What contributes to the body of a wine
Sugar, acidity, tannin and alcohol
What is considered high alcohol
14.5% and above
What is considered medium alcohol
11%-13.9%
What is considered low alcohol
Below 11%
What is considered high alcohol in fortified wines
18.5% and above
What is considered medium alcohol in fortified wines
16.5% - 18.4%
What is considered low alcohol in fortified wines
15% - 16.4%
What does high alcohol do to the body of a wine
Makes it seem fuller
What’s the mouth feel of a full bodied wine
Creamy
How to quantify finish
Based on how long the desirable characteristics of the wine (eg flavour) stays in the mouth
How to decide the quality of a wine
Balance, length/finish, intensity of flavour & complexity
