Tasting and Pairing COPY Flashcards
Table wine - Germany
tafelwein
Brett
Brettanomyces A yeast found on winery equipment that infect wine with flavours of barnyard, sweaty saddle, smoke, bacon, wild game, bandaid, sweaty gym socks, rancid cheese. Usually considered a fault, is a key characteristic of some wines.
Table wine - Portugal
Vinho de mesa
Phenolic Bitterness Varietals
Pinot Grigio / Gris
Albarino
Gurner Veltliner*
Gewurztraminer
Torrontes
*not examinable
Thick skin varietals
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc*
Merlot
Malbec
Syrah
Carminere*
*not examinable
Table wine - Greece
Epitrapezios oinos
Right Bank Bordeaux / Merlot Markers
Softer tannin, more herbal/vegetal characteristics
Percentage alcohol range in sparkling wine
8% - 12%
Sight: Garnet to medium ruby with garnet to orange rim. None to slight stain.
Nose / Palate: Cherry, raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate, rose, violet, potpourri, tar, leather, sandlewood, balsamic, voilatile acidity, oxidation, dry and wet soil, truffle, mushroom, compost.
Also dry bitter herbs, tea, tobacco, licorice, anise, dust, rock.
Structure: Medium plus to high tannin, acidity, alcohol. Medium plus to long finish. Moderate to complex.
Nebbiolo
Italy - Piedmont, Barolo / Barbaresco
Sight: Pale straw to light gold; Green, gold, brass rim variation.
Nose / Palate: Apple - green, yellow. Citrus - lime.
Pronounced chalky sea shell minerality, struck flint, oyster shell.
Structure: Alcohol: medium to medium-plus; acidity: medium-plus to high; finish: medium to long; Complexity - moderate to complex.
Chardonnay
France, Burgundy, Chablis
Table wine - France
Vin de table
Mouthfeel
The weight and texture of the wine in your mouth
Burgundy Markers
Cote de Nuits - lighter in colour, concentrated flavour, bright red fruit, tea-spice, earth, oak
Cote de Beaune - as above but earther with firmer tannin
Note: New World Pinots have fruit thatis not as bright red and have less earthiness.
Percentage alcohol range in fortified wine
17% - 22%
Varietal Character
The usual or expected taste and aroma of a particular grape
Sight: light to deep ruby with purple or pink rim variation. Minimal if any staining.
Nose / Palatte: Red fruit - strawberry, cherry, raspberry, current. Red and purple flowers. pear drop, banana, cotton candy. Stony, mineral.
Structure: Acidity: medium-plus; alcohol: medium to medium-plus, tannin: medium-minus to medium. Finish, medium to medium plus. Moderate to complex.
Gamay
France - Burgundy - Beaujolais
Aroma vs. Bouquet
Aroma is derived from the varietal and can denote youth. Typically fruit, herbal, floral. Bouquet is derived from the winemaking process and can denote age. Bouquet is typically associated with tertiary aromas including cream, butter, mushroom, game, aged cheese, etc.
Table wine - Italy
vino de tavola
Sight: pale yellow to deep yellow
Green hue
Nose/Palate: Citrus - orange, grapefruit, lemon; Stone fruit - peach, nectarine. Green apple, pear.
Orange blossom
Saline, sea spray, oyster shell
Lees, bread dough, beer
Less common - lemongrass, swet herb, wet stone, dusty rock.
Slight phenolic bitterness
Structure: Medium to medium plus alcohol, acidity, finish
Albarino
Rias Baixas, Spain
Sight: light to medium straw with green highlights.
Nose / Palate: apple/pear and citrus fruit with mushroom-earth and mineral notes; also butter/cream aromas from malolactic and vanilla, yeast and brioche notes from lees contact, and baking spices, toast, and wood notes from oak aging.
Structure: Medium to full-bodied and bone dry to dry. Alcohol: medium to medium-plus; acidity: medium-plus to high.
Chardonnay
France, Burgundy, Cote d’Or, Cote d’Beaune
Aromatic Varietals
Viognier
Gewurztraminer
Torrontes
Muscat*
*not examinable
Sight: Deep garnet to dark ruby with garnet to putple rim variation. Slight to medium staining.
Nose/Palate: Strawberry, cherry, raspberry, thyme, rosemary, anise, black tea, brown and curing spices, Brett (smoked meat, musk), mushtroom, truffle, potting soil, barnyard, hay.
Also black plum, black cherry, smoke, toast, vanilla, stones, mineral.
Structure: Medium plus to high tannin, acid, alcohol; medium to long finish, moderate to complex.
Grenache
France, Rhone, Southern Rhone (Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone-Villages)
Sight: moderate to deep ruby or purple with pink to purple rim variation.
Moderate to heavy stain
Nose / Palate: Black fruit: cassis/currant, blackberry, plum, cherry. Green herbs - thyme, rosemary, tobacco, mint/eucalyptus. Pyrazine - bell pepper. Oak - smoke, toast, vanilla, baking spice, cedar, sawdust, dill, coconut, vanilla.
Also - red fruit - raspberry, cherry; Blue fruit - blueberry; purple flowers; darkchocolate, coffee, dust, leaves.
Structure: Medium plus to high tannin, alcohol, med to medium plus acidity, medium plus to long finish, moderate to complex.
Cabernet Sauvignon
New World - California - Napa; Washington - Columbia Valley
Chile - Valle Central
Australia: Coonawarra, Margaret River, McLaren Vale
Sight: Red to deep ruby with light to moderate staining
Nose/Palate: Red fruit - raspberry, currant, cranberry, some black fruit (blackberry, currant)
Tobacco, green herbs/tea, black pepper, pyrazine - bell pepper, beet, salad greens
Soil, compost, dust, stony, pencil lead, graphite
Structure: Dry with med to med plus tannin and alcohol, med plus to high acidity.
Cabernet Franc
Loire - Bourgueil, Chinon
Pinot Noir - New World Markers
California, Oregon - Supple red berry, spice, new wood. Ripe attack, stem tannin, lack of earthiness.
New Zealand - similar to California and Oregon but with pronounced herbal notes. May have a chalky, mineral quality.
Medium - thick skin
Zinfandel
Sur Lie ageing flavours
Bread dough Yeast Toast Subtle white flowers Nuts
Table wine - Spain
Vino de mesa
Flavours added by Botrytis
Honey Beeswax Ginger Saffron
Sight: yellow to deep gold with silver to green rim variation.
Nose / Palate: lychee, pineapple, mango, apricot, peach, nectarine, gardenia, rose, jasmine, lilac, honesuckle, potpourri, juniper, cardamom,cinnamom, clove, ginger, saffron, star anise, allspice.
Also apple/pear - yellow apple, pear, tea, soap, soil (dry or wet), stony minerality.
Structure: Medium minus to medium acidity, medium plus to high alcohol, medium to long finish, moderate to complex.
Gewurztraminer
France - Alsace
Non-Aromatic Varietals
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Melon de Bourgogne*
*not examinable
Sight: pale to medium yellow with green highlights;
Nose/Palate: tart green apple/pear, tropical fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple), and tart citrus notes. Butter/cream/buttered popcorn aromas. Cream and yeast as
well as vanilla, baking spices and wood.
Structure: Medium to full-bodied; alcohol: medium-plus to high; acidity: medium to medium-plus.
Chardonnay
United States - California
Thin Skin Varietals
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Nebbiolo
Grenach (Garnacha)
Tempranillo
Gamay
Sight: Ruby to deep purple with pink, blue, purple rim variation. Moderate to deep staining.
Nose / Palate: blueberry, boysenberry, fresh mint, tobacco, licorice, black pepper.
Also - blackberry, cherry, plum, currant, raisins, raspberry, red and purple flowers, smoke, bitter chocolate, coffee, smoke, toast, vanilla, baking spices, chocolate, dill, coconut, vanilla, slight dust, potting soil, graphite.
Volitale acidity.
Structure: Medium to medium plus tannin and acidity. Medium plus to high alcohol, medium to long finish, moderate complexity.
Malbec
Argentina - Mendoza
Sight: Straw to yellow with green/gold/silver rim variation.
Nose/Palate: Apple/Pear - green, yellow apple, pear. Quince. Lime, Lemon, Orange, Tangerine. Apple and citrus blossom. Satled greens, fresh herbs, hay, straw. Wax, honey/botrytis, oatmeal, lanolin, wet wool, cheese rind. Mineral, chalk.
Also - stone fruit, peach, apricot. Compost, barnyard, mushroom, some lees.
Structure: Medium plus to high acidity and alcohol, medium to long finish. Moderate to complex.
Chenin Blanc
France, Loire - Savenniere, Vouvray
Left Bank Bordeaux / Cabernet Sauvignon markers
Left Bank - deep black fruit, green herb, earth, dry forest floor (note: wet forest floor is a marker for Italian reds)
California - riper and richer without the earth/mineral
Coonawarra - strong pyrazines, mint, eucalyptus
Sight: deep ruby, pink/purple/garnet rim variation. Light to moderate stain.
Nose / Palate: cherry, plum, current. Anise, mint, eucalyptus, tobacco. Pyrazines - olive, fennel. Dark chocolate, Brett, forest floor, compost, barnyard.
Also, black plum, blackberry, slight red and purple flowers, baking spices, cofee, cedar.
Structure: medium to medium plus tannin and acidity, medium to high alcohol, medium to long finish, moderate to complex.
Merlot
France, Bordeaux
Sight: Deep Ruby, Purple. Pink to purple rim. Slight to moderate staining.
Nose / Palate: Cherry, plum, current, dark chocolate.
Also black plum, cherry, slight purple flower, slight mint and eucalyptus, slight pyrazines. Toast, baking spice, coffee, dill, coconut, vanilla.
Structure: Medium minus to medium plus tannin, medium to medium plus acid, medium plush to high alcohol. Medium to long finish. Moderate to complex.
Merlot
United States, California and Washington
Percentage alcohol range for still wine
8% - 15%
Semi-Aromatic Varietals
Pinot Gris
Chenin Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling
Albarino
Gruner Veltliner*
*not examinable
Sight: Straw with copper, silver, or green rim variation.
Nose / Palate: Lemon, lemon seed, red and yellow apple, yellow and white flowers, wet stone, honey, wool, fruit cup, hay, lees, phenolic bitterness.
Also melon, slight ginger, vanilla.
Structure: Medium to medium plus acidity and alcohol, medium to long finish, moderate to complex.
Pinot Gris
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige / Fruili
Sight: deep garnet to dark ruby with garnet to purple rim variation. Slight to medium staining.
Nose / Palate: Strawberry, cherry, cranberry. Sweet herbs - mint, eucalyptus, tea. Sweet brown spice, clove, ginger, pepper, licorice.
Also, blackberry, plum, fig, blueberry, orange, violet, rose, Brett - smoked meat, slight wet earth, potting soil.
Structure: Medium minus to medium plus tannin, medium to medium plus acid, medium plus to high alcohol and finish. Moderate to complex.
Grenache
America - Washington, Columbia Valley
Australia - South Australia
Sight: moderate to deep ruby or purple
Pink to purple rim variation
Moderate to moderate plus staining.
Nose / Palate: Black fruit - cassis/currant, blackberry, plum, cherry
Fresh and dried herbs - thyme, rosemary, tobacco. Pyrazine - bell pepper, fennel; Spice - anise, light pepper; Coffee, chocolate, cedar, Brett (band-aid, clove, leather); graphite, iron, stoney.
Also - purple flowers, mushroom, forest floor, smoke, toast, vanilla, baking spices.
Structure: Medium plus to high tannin and alcohol. Medium to Med Plus acidity, med to long finish, moderate to complex.
Cabernet Sauvignon
France, Bordeaux, Medoc or Graves
Three tastes in wine
Sweet Sour Bitter
Sight: Straw to gold with copper, silver, or green rim variation.
Nose / Palate: White peach, apricot, Lemon, red and yellow apple, yellow and white flowers, dark stone, ginger, honey, wool, fruit cup, hay, lees, phenolic bitterness, nuts, wax, botrytis
Also melon, vanilla.
Structure: Medium acidity, medium to medium plus alcohol, medium to long finish, moderate to complex.
Pinot Gris
France, Alsace
Sight - Garnet to ruby with no staining.
Nose - Cherry, raspberry, plum, cranberry, pomegranate. Anise, licorice, black tea, dark cork, tarragon, thyme, rhubarb, beet, tomato leaf, smoke, game, leather, mushroom, truffle, forest floor, compost.
Palate - Dry, medium minus to medium plus tannin, medium plus to high acidity.
Structure - medium to medium plus alcohol, moderate to complex with a long finish.
Pinot Noir
France - Burgundy - Cote d’Or
- Cote de Nuits* - richer and firmer, often echibiting black fruit notes in warmer vintages, often with new oak.
- Cote de Beaune* - lighter in body with more acidity, firmer tannin, less use of new oak.
Sight - medium to deep ruby, slight colour extraction.
Nose - Strawberry, cherry, raspberry, black plum, black cherry, ripe to overripe. Wild savory herb, thyme, black tea, anise, rosemary, black pepper, mushroom, dried meat, soy/jerky.
Palate - Dry, medium plus to high tannin, medium to medium plus acid.
Structure - full bodied, medium plus to high alcohol, moderate to complex, medium to long finish.
Grenache Blend (GSM)
France - Rhone - Southern Rhone
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and other high quality wines combine ripe-baked red and black fruit and considerable tannin.
- Chateauneuf* tends to be the most powerful and concentrated.
- Gigondas* lacks the depth and may be slightly fruiter.
- Cotes du Rhone-Villages* is more simple and direct, lacks the poewr and concentration of Chateauneuf de Pape and Gigondas.
