A quick guide to wine tasting

Make no mistake wine can be intimidating – particularly if you find yourself among wine snobs who casually drop terms such as ‘chewing’ or ‘unctuous’ in conversation. Okay, you probably don’t need any help recognizing a white wine versus a red wine. Not only do they look different - they taste different too.

However, you might be unaware that these differences are caused by grape skins, and what they contain - tannin. What are tannins? They are a natural substance found in grapes, fruits, plants and tea. Tannins give that bitter taste as well as leaving the mouth with that dry feeling. They also impart colour to the wine. When red grape skins sit in the grape juice during fermentation they color the juice – longer it sits deeper the colour (red). No skin or little contact during fermentation results in white or pink wine. Red grape skins have more tannins than white grape skins and it follows then that red wine has higher tannin content than white.

To recap; red wine is red because it was fermented with the skins, making it more tannic, while white wine has less tannin, and is more acidic. Dark wines have a  higher tannin content and a sharper taste. Lower tannin wines are smooth and soft, and depending on your tastes, more drinkable. When we observe that a red wine is either bitter or leathery it is due to the presence of tannin – which also gives red wine texture, i.e. that smooth, soft, rough or chewy feel when sipped..

There are several aspects to tasting a glass of wine. Here are some thoughts on some key principles involving sight, smell, taste, flavour and finish.

• Like first impressions, ‘Sight’ and clarity plays a big part. Pour some wine into a wine glass, tilt the glass and observe the wine against a white-background. If the wine is clear; fine. If it is cloudy or murky return it - unless it is very old, in which event you can overlook a bit of fogginess.
• ‘Smell’ the wine. This is easier said than done. Those who drink coffee in the morning love the smell of coffee as it awakens their senses and drives away the sleepiness. Those who love their coffee can pick out that subtle flavour – be it a mix or chocolate, roasted chicory and cardamom or cinnamon. Such is the case with wine, although the variety can be innumerable and identifying the aromas at first can be challenging. Swirl the wine around the glass to loosen the bouquet, then position your nose deep into the glass and take a lengthy sniff- the result is known as the ‘nose’. The scale of aroma can be endless and will differ from grape to grape. The only consistent odour in wine is when it has gone bad – commonly referred to as being ‘corked’. If it smells musty or like damp cardboard send it back.
• Let’s now discuss how a wine ‘Tastes’. Because it is so subjective, taste is a complex issue and finding common ground can be daunting. However, there are a few descriptors that are difficult to dispute – such as sweetness or just a hint of sweetness to dry. Acidity, which we explained earlier and are a big deal with white wines – making them crisp and refreshing or even sour. Then comes tannin – high levels make the wine bitter, lower levels render them smooth and soft and…more drinkable for some. Finally, there is the body of the wine. It’s to do with the viscosity of the wine. If you perceive it to be thick, coating the sides of the glass during swirling, it is full-bodied. A light-bodied wine would be almost like water. Medium bodied is in-between. Now comes the moment of truth. Take a sip of that wine. Hold it to your mouth, with lips open slightly (as if holding a straw) and gently suck. The breath passes over the wine to the back of your nasal passage, exposing additional fragrances.
• Savour the ‘Flavour’ of the wine. Swish the wine in your mouth, exposing it to the taste buds - this is known as ‘chewing’. This process reveals the flavours the wine has to offer, enabling you to feel the weight of it. Some wines have great length, and the flavour lasts and evolves, requiring only a sip to prolong the enjoyment. Others may stop the moment you swallow the wine and fade almost immediately. A piece of advice to the beginner; stick to relatable flavours like fruity, earthy, spicy, Smokey or flowery and leave the heavier descriptors to the wine snobs.
• The last impression of a wine is the ‘Finish’. The taste a wine leaves behind is called the finish or aftertaste, i.e. the taste that lingers on after the wine has been swallowed. The length of the finish is the final indicator of the wine's quality. That taste can be short and crisp,(like a dry white wine) or it can linger for a minute or more, continuing to unfold the flavor secrets of the wine before finally fading away. Riesling is generally in the 30 second area, crisp and refreshing. A California Chardonnay or White Burgundy may be more powerful, stretching out to the 45/60-second mark. Red wines usually impart a singular taste appeal, been lighter in taste. Classy red wines such as Bordeaux and Burgundy though can produce a long lingering finish, whilst Cabernet. Merlot, Chianti and Beaujolais for example, are light, crisp, and generally shorter on the finish.

The above should get one started…so go on have fun and enjoy getting to know your wines.

Ilzaf Keefahs is a free lance writer who enjoys focusing on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. He delves into the heart of hospitality to figure out both customer service and consumer trends that impact the industry.

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