Tasting And Evaluating Wine

Question 1

How do you describe appearance?

Answer 1

Intensity: pale - medium - deep
Colour:
lemon-gold-amber
Pink-pink orange-orange
Purple-ruby-garnet-tawny

Question 2

How do you describe scent?

Answer 2

Intensity: light-medium-pronounced
Characteristics: primary - secondary - tertiary

Question 3

How do you describe sweetness?

Answer 3

Dry - off dry - medium - sweet

Question 4

How do you describe acidity?

Answer 4

Low - medium - high

Question 5

How do you describe tannin?

Answer 5

Low - medium - high

Question 6

How do you describe alcohol?

Answer 6

Low - medium - high

Question 7

How do you describe body?

Answer 7

Light - medium - full

Question 8

How to describe flavour intensity?

Answer 8

Light - medium - pronounced

Question 9

How to describe flavour characteristics?

Answer 9

Primary- secondary - tertiary

Question 10

How do you describe finish?

Answer 10

Short - medium - long

Question 11

How do you describe quality?

Answer 11

Poor - acceptable - good - very good - outstanding

Question 12

What does lees mean

Answer 12

Yeast

Question 13

Where do primary aromas come from

Answer 13

Grapes or during fermentation

Question 14

Where do secondary aromas come from

Answer 14

Post - fermentation wine making

Question 15

Where do tertiary aromas come from

Answer 15

Ageing processes

Question 16

What does a dry wine taste like

Answer 16

No sugar, or such low sugar that it cannot be detected

Question 17

What does an off dry wine taste like

Answer 17

Tiny amount of detectable sugar

Question 18

What does a medium (sweetness) wine taste like)

Answer 18

Distinct presence of sugar, but not sweet enough to partner desserts

Question 19

What does a sweet wine taste like

Answer 19

Sugar is prominent feature of the wine

Question 20

How to detect acidity

Answer 20

If mouth salivates after swallowing

Question 21

What can mask high acidity

Answer 21

High sugar. Mouth watering effect still serves as a valid indicator

Question 22

Is acidity more obvious in dry or sweet wines

Answer 22

Dry

Question 23

What do tannins do

Answer 23

Bind to saliva and cause a drying effect in the mouth

Question 24

Other than dryness, how can you (sometimes) detect tannin

Answer 24

Butter taste lingering at back of mouth

Question 25

What contributes to the body of a wine

Answer 25

Sugar, acidity, tannin and alcohol

Question 26

What is considered high alcohol

Answer 26

14.5% and above

Question 27

What is considered medium alcohol

Answer 27

11%-13.9%

Question 28

What is considered low alcohol

Answer 28

Below 11%

Question 29

What is considered high alcohol in fortified wines

Answer 29

18.5% and above

Question 30

What is considered medium alcohol in fortified wines

Answer 30

16.5% - 18.4%

Question 31

What is considered low alcohol in fortified wines

Answer 31

15% - 16.4%

Question 32

What does high alcohol do to the body of a wine

Answer 32

Makes it seem fuller

Question 33

What’s the mouth feel of a full bodied wine

Answer 33

Creamy

Question 34

How to quantify finish

Answer 34

Based on how long the desirable characteristics of the wine (eg flavour) stays in the mouth

Question 35

How to decide the quality of a wine

Answer 35

Balance, length/finish, intensity of flavour & complexity