How to Taste Wine

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes, but there is much more to wine than this basic definition. Wine tasting can be a very complex process, so this post is aimed to simplify the process.

The three basic steps of wine tasting are appearance, smell and taste.

First, pour a taste (1-2 oz.) into a glass, swirl and observe the clarity and color of the wine. Red wines tend to get lighter with age; where as, white wines usually get darker. Swirling a wine glass allows air to blend with the wine, opening up both the smell and taste. Check out the “legs,” or wine viscosity, which run down the sides of the glass when swirled. The speed in which the legs move is an indication of the amount of alcohol, glycerin or sugar present.

Then, swirl the wine and smell its aromas and nose. Identify the aromas of the grapes, such as floral, spicy or fruity and then work your way to more detailed aromas like raspberry, tobacco and fig. Below is a helpful chart to help you navigate the aromas of wine.

Finally, sip the wine and breathe in through your mouth to allow air to pass over the wine. This will allow the aromas of the wine to make their way to your nose. What makes the biggest first impression? What is the texture? Silky, smooth or crisp? Can you feel the acidity or tannins? The weight of the wine in your mouth should indicate whether it is light-, medium- or full-bodied. How is the finish of the wine, or final impression the wine leaves on your mouth? Does the taste linger in your mouth for a few seconds or longer (long-finish) or fade away immediately (short-finish)? Finally, and most importantly, is the wine balanced in its acidity, alcohol, fruit and tannins?

Check out a great overview of white wine grapes and red wine grapes from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The only way to master the art of wine tasting is to try a variety of wines. Beginners may try tasting the basic varietals (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, merlot and cabernet), while more experienced winos may taste a single varietal and compare producers/wineries or taste one varietal from the same winery but different vintage.

Both Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator have done the dirty work, and each publication has produced an extremely helpful wine buying guide that is available online.

Now you are on your way to becoming an oenophile!

Wine Terms 101
One of the best way to learn about wine is to be familiar with wine terms. We’ve highlighted many commonly used wine terms below.

• Acidic/Acidity- One of the tastes of wine. All wines naturally contain acid, but it should always be in harmony with the fruit and other flavors. The presence of acid is necessary for wines to age and gives it a lively, crisp quality. Acid is tasted on the sides of the tongue and mouth.
• Aerate- To allow a wine to “breathe” by exposing it to oxygen. Aerating a wine helps it to mellow and develop its full flavors, especially red wines. Decanting is a way to aerate wine.
• Appellation- One specific geographic area from which a wine is produced. Most European wines are named by appellation rather than grape varietal.
• Balance- Harmony among the wine’s components – a balance of acid, alcohol, fruit and tannins.
• Body- The texture and weight of a wine. One component in wine that gives it body is glycerin.
• Bouquet/Nose- All The smell of wine. There are an unlimited number of aromas in wine, and just as many descriptive adjectives for those aromas. True wine appreciation will allow you to decipher and describe those aromas for yourself.
• Character- The features of a wine that distinguish it from any other wine. A good wine should have character.
• Complex- Having many different flavors and aromas. A quality wine should be complex.
• Crisp- Usually associated with the acidity in wine and more often with white wine, this denotes a fresh, light character.
• Decant/Decanting- Pouring wine from its original bottle into another container (decanter), allowing the wine to “breathe” and/or to remove sediment.
• Dry- One of the more common wine definitions, a dry wine has little or no residual sugar left in it after fermentation.
• Earthy- More often used to describe European wines, these have aromas and flavors resembling the earth, perhaps even soil or rock.
• Fermentation- The process of adding yeast to crushed grapes to turn their sugar into alcohol. Fermentation processes and times vary. Wines are generally fermenting in oak barrels or stainless steel.
• Finish- The final impression a wine leaves in your mouth. A finish that lingers (long) is a sign of a well-made wine.
• Fruit/Fruity- One of the wine descriptions used when a wine imparts prominent fruit flavors and aromas.
• Full-Bodied- denotes a wine of a certain depth, power and richness.
• Legs- These noticeable traces of liquid left running down the inside of your wine glass after it has been tipped. The speed of movement indicates the amounts of alcohol, glycerin or sugar.
• Meritage- A term used by California wine producers to describe their wines blended from Bordeaux varieties. It was designed to indicate a wine blend of higher quality than a “table wine.”
• Oenology/Oenophile- The study of wine or one who studies and appreciates wine.
• Oxidation- The exposure of wine to oxygen or air. Some exposure is good and necessary, but too much will turn wine to vinegar.
• Palate- The combined human tasting faculties in the mouth.
• Sediment- The non-liquid material at the bottom of a bottle of wine. Sediment is naturally occurring and it completely harmless. It can be easily removed through decanting.
• Smooth- A wine that feels soft in the mouth, generally lower in tannin and acid.
• Sommelier- The restaurant specialist who has considerable wine knowledge and assists guests with their wine selection.
• Spicy- Having spicy characteristics, such as mint, clove, cinnamon, vanilla or pepper.
• Sweet- “Sweet” is one of the wine definitions easily confused with “fruity.” Sweet indicates the presence of residual sugar, left over when the grape juice is converted to alcohol. Some dry wines have an aroma of sweetness that in reality comes from ripe fruit flavors.
• Tannin- An ingredient found naturally in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes. Tannins are usually found in red wines and give that dry, lip puckering sensation. They are an important component in the aging process and soften over time.
• Varietal- Wine that is made from a single grape variety or named for the dominant grape in a blend.
• Vintage- The year the wine is harvested.
• Vintner- A wine maker – the person who makes important decisions related to the production of a wine.