Wine tasting is not drinking. Although wine is made to drink and enjoy, there are also times when it has to be judged and assessed.

By using the 5 S’s RULE:

• SWIRL & SEE,
• SWIRL & SNIFF,
• SIP,
• SAVOR,

you’ll be able to get the most out of any glass of wine.

WHAT YOU NEED: a wine opener, wine glasses, a spittoon, water, some snacks, a pad and a pen.

ADVISABLE CONDITIONS: a room with good lighting and temperature below 20°C, wine served at the right temperature and no disturbing aromas – don’t wear perfumes.

WINE is an alcoholic beverage made with fermented grapes. There is:

• a single-varietal wine – made with one grape variety,
• a wine blend – made by mixing several wines together.

A VINTAGE YEAR refers to harvesting time.

There are 5 main WINE TRAITS:

• Acidity – how sour a wine is,
• Tannin – how bitter a (red) wine is,
• Sweetness – how much sugar a wine has,
• Body – the way a wine feels inside our mouth with alcohol as a main contributing factor:
  – light (below 12.5%),
  – medium (between 12.5% and 13.5%),
  – full (over 13.5%).

First, let’s CHECK THE LABEL to know what you are going to taste:

• Country of Origin
• Grape – a single variety or a blend?
• Vintage – ready or still to go?
• Alcohol – light, medium or full body?

Now, let’s SWIRL IT AND SEE what you have in your glass:

• Wine Type – Still or Sparkling?
• Colour – White or Red? Intensity?
• Clarity – how well is light transmitted through the wine body?
• Viscosity – higher alcohol and sweeter wines tend to have a higher density of “wine legs” (droplets).
  
  
  

WHAT AFFECTS AROMAS:

• Grape Category,
• Terroir (= soil + topography + climate),
• Wine Making Process.

GRAPE CATEGORIES:

• Aromatic* – Brachetto, Malvasia family, Moscato family, Gewürztraminer,
• Semi-Aromatic – Glera, Müller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling (Renano), Aleatico, Sylvaner,
• Neutral – All other.

*These are aromatic white wines characterised by dominant floral aromas caused by a special aroma compound found naturally in grapes.

3 MAIN AROMA CATEGORIES:

• Primary – coming from the grape variety (fruity and floral),
• Secondary – derived from the winemaking process (toasty notes from oak, buttery notes from malolactic fermentation, or brioche notes from lees contact),
• Tertiary – developing as wine ages.

OK – let’s SWIRL IT AND SNIFF:

• Any intensity and persistence? The more and longer, the better.
• Is it fine?
• Any aromas? – Floral? Fruity? Herbal? Earthy? Mineral? Spices? Toasted? Animal? Etheric?
  
  
  

Now, let’s SIP IT.

• Acidity – is it sour or soft?
• Alcohol – does it have a boost?
• Sweetness – is it sweet or dry?
• Tannins – is it bitter or smooth?
• Fruit – is it fruity or savoury?
• Are all the elements balanced?
• Body – how round is the wine in the mouth?
• Aftertaste?
• Any intensity? The more and longer, the better.
• Any flavours? – Floral? Fruity? Herbal? Earthy? Mineral? Spices? Toasted?
• Is it ready to drink?
• What food would you pair it with?