Wine Tasting Flashcards
How are tartrate crystals formed and what do they indicate?
Tartrate crystals form when Tartaric acid bonds to potassium and crystallizes. This bond can only happen at cold temperatures.
If these crystals are present in the bottle, it means the wine did not undergo “cold stabilization” before bottling.
What does it indicate if a wine bubbles immediately after pouring?
A reductive method of production or refermentation in the bottle.
What are the 7 elements that make up a wine’s “structure?”
Acidity, alcohol, residual sugar, body, tannin, oak, and finish.
In white wines, what does a lighter or paler appearance suggest?
Reductive winemaking, youthfulness, or cooler climate.
In tasting, a cool climate region can be confirmed by what?
A fresher aroma profile, higher acidity, and lower alcohol.
In appearance, darker or deeper colors are suggestive of what?
Fermentation or maturation in oak, significant bottle aging, or a warmer climate.
In tasting, a warm climate region can be confirmed by what properties?
A riper aroma profile, higher extract and alcohol, and lower acidity.
White wines: On the nose, highly aromatic wines are indicative of what type of climate?
A cooler climate.
White wines: On the nose, a restrained aromatic profile indicates what kind of climate?
A warmer climate.
Which Bordeaux region is known for its botrytized wines?
Sauternes
What are the three types of aromas and where do they originate?
- Primary aromas (fruits & vegetal)
- from the grapes and terrior
- Secondary aromas (bread, butter, oak, etc.)
-frome the winemaking process - Tertiary aromas (mushroom, truffle, wet leaves, coffee, etc.)
- prolonged bottle age
A note of green apple suggests what?
That the wine is high in malic acid, which in turn suggests the suppression of malolactic fermentation.
Notes of dairy, yogurt, or butter are suggestive of what?
A wine high in lactic acid, which in turn suggests a level of malolactic fermentation.
An overwhelming not of vinegar is indicative of what?
Vinegar indicates acetic acid, which is the most volatile of all acids in wine. An overwhelming note infers too much oxygenation during the winemaking or bottle aging.
In tasting, how are old world and new world wines different?
New world wines tend to be bolder and more fruit-forward.
Old world wines tend to be more earthy or mineral in nature, often with higher acidity.
