“With my tongue, of course – how else am I supposed to taste my wine?”
In the other articles we have already seen that of course the optics and the Odor Conclusions about age, grape variety, alcohol content, expansion (etc.) allow.
But now to the point! Let's not beat around the bush: the most beautiful part of wine tasting is the moment when we raise the glass and the first sip flows over our lips and hits our tongue and palate. Now it's time to get down to business! Even if optics and Odor were OK, it is now decided how the wine should be rated overall.
Since tastes are known to differ, this article also contains wine career There is only a very limited "right" or "wrong" answer. Much more important is the answer to the question: Do you like the wine or not?
The taste
After using optics and Odor While some of the wine’s characteristics can already be identified, further attributes are added when tasting, such as acidity, tannin and alcohol.
How to try?
Take a big enough sip and don't just stop at one. Your taste buds need to get used to the wine and the wine needs to spread in your mouth. Sniff some air through the corners of your mouth and swirl the wine around in your mouth. Observe how long the taste lasts after swallowing. Does the taste change in the finish?
What tastes?
Various properties can be determined by taste:
- Step 1: sweet or dry
- Step 2 for white wine: high or low acidity
- Step 2 for red wine: Tannin (bitter substances) high or low
- Step 3: fruity or not
- Step 4: intensive or flat
- Step 5: old or young
The taste can provide clues to specific properties:
- warm, sweet = may indicate high alcohol content
- brandy, thick, heavy = can also indicate high alcohol content
- Honey sweetness = high ripeness of the grapes
- Sour, fresh = normal ripeness of the grapes
- Mineral, acidic = poor soil (slate)
- Fruity = loamy, rich soil
- Earthy, leathery = can indicate high ripeness of the grapes
Typical flavors of grape varieties
- Paprika, passion fruit = Sauvignon Blanc
- Rose, honey = Gewürztraminer
- citrus fruits = Riesling
- Vanilla, butter, brioche = Chardonnay from the wooden barrel
- Leather, red pepper: Cabernet Sauvignon
- pepper, blackberry: Syrah
- Sour cherry, red meat: Pinot Noir
Of course, every wine brings with it a completely individual combination of aromas. We will delve deeper into the wide field of aromas in future articles.
We look forward to your feedback at theresa@vioneers.com and hope you enjoy learning more about your personal wine career!
