How To Taste Wine
By Ian Love

An understanding of how to taste wines can enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of it. There are three distinct areas to consider - appearance, aroma and taste.

Appearance

The visual assessment of a wine's appearance should start before the bottle is open, as clarity is often indicative of the character and condition of the wine. Once poured into a glass you first look at the colour. This is best done by slightly tilting the glass over a white surface and looking down through the wine, or by holding the glass to the light.

Note the clarity and colour and any changes in colour between the edge of the wine and the centre. White wines may vary from almost colourless through to pale green right up to deep, rich yellow, while in red wines the colour ranges from deep, dark burgundy through to brick red and bright plum. These qualities are determined by the grape itself and the environment it grew in. Generally a darker colour and a difference in colour from the centre of the glass to the edge can indicate oxidation, which may be a deliberate part of the winemaking, an error, or a part of the natural process of maturation in bottle. Among white wines it can also be indicative of the amount of time spent on lees and/or in wood.

Aroma

The second step in wine tasting is to smell the wine with an aim to identify as many flavour compounds as possible. Swirl the wine around in the glass to release the aroma before taking a good, deep sniff. As you inhale slowly and smoothly through your nose also draw a small amount of air through the mouth.

The way a wine smells is often divided into aroma and bouquet. Aromas refer to those smells derived from grapes and include fruit descriptors (eg: lemon) and things like floral notes (eg: honeysuckle), herbs and spices. Bouquet refers to smells derived from the process of winemaking. These characters may be formed by yeasts, specific fermentation techniques and by the type and size of maturation vessel.

Although professionals can identify exact fruits or highly specific characters in the wine most people should concentrate on freshness, intensity of aroma and sensation.

Taste

Taste is the third and most important character of the wine. Take a sip and roll it in your mouth to reach all the taste bud areas. With the wine still in your mouth carefully draw air in through your lips, as this releases more aromas that are perceived as flavour. Finally, wash the wine around your mouth a little and swallow (or spit into a spittoon if you are tasting many wines).

Note the texture of the wine, the amount of astringency present and get the 'feel' of the wine. Depending upon type, age and other factors, it should be light, moderate or heavy in the mouth, but never cloying or thin.

Take careful note of the flavours of the wine and the progression of flavour from the time you put the wine in your mouth, through the time you aerate the wine and then through the time during and after you swallow (or spit out) the wine. Then note the intensity of the aftertaste. This is referred to as the wine's 'finish', and a long aftertaste is generally a positive indication of quality.

After looking, smelling and tasting, make an overall assessment of the wine. Generally, a lasting impression of harmony and balance is considered more desirable and easiest to enjoy.

Generally taste dry wines before sweet, white before red, and light before heavy. Try not to taste too many wines at one time as palate fatigue makes it difficult to distinguish and appreciate the characteristics of each wine once you've tasted too many.

Ian Love is the owner of Perth Restaurant group West Valley and also owns Australian Wine retailer - Liquor Merchants. West Valley also specialize in catering for Functions in Perth, Western Australia

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