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Wednesday 23 July  

 wine tasting tips for Wine Dating

There is no secret to tasting wine, it is just a matter of learning to recognise the signs and flavours - and matching those with the grape variety.
 
Here are 4 simple steps to assessing a wine:
 
look, smell, taste and enjoy
 
 
appearance of winelook
The wine should always be clear. If it is cloudy then this may signal a fault. Some wines do contain tartrates, which are perfectly harmless but do have the unfortunate appearance of looking a bit like glass fragments.
 
The colour of the wine can denote two main things:
1. Age - the basic rule here is that white wines tend to get darker the older they are; whereas, red wines tend to get lighter in colour with age.
 
2. Oxidation - white wines that have been oxidised (which means oxygen has got into the bottle and spoilt the wine) will also look darker in colour. So if you are served a glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc which you expect to be light in colour, and it's dark yellow - then you know there is something wrong.
 
Finally, if you swirl a glass of wine you will sometimes see the wine form into lines that stream down the glass, these are referred to as 'legs' or 'tears' and tells you a couple of things about the wine: either that it is sweet or that it is high in alcohol, or both.
 
 
nosing winesmell
Smell is one of our most important senses when it comes to tasting wine. Without our sense of smell we wouldn’t be able to taste the majority of flavours that we do.
 
Take your glass and gently swirl the wine around in it. This will allow the wine to mix with oxygen and help to release all those lovely aromas that have been cooped up in the bottle.
 
Stick your nose into the glass and take a great big sniff. You will probably only pick up the one or two aromas that dominate the wine first of all - so sniff the wine a couple more times to pick up the more subtle notes.
 
Faults can usually be detected just by smelling or 'nosing' the wine. If it smells musty or of cardboard, then the wine may be corked. If it smells of vinegar then it may be affected by bacteria.  In both cases the wine should be replaced.
 
tasting winetaste
Take a sip of wine and swirl it around your mouth so it reaches ever corner. Hold it in your mouth for a few seconds and try to decide what flavours you can taste. Are they similar to the aromas you smelt on the nose? 
 
You are also looking for other things on the palate which, along with the flavours, combine to make up a balanced wine:

1. Acidity - you will notice this along the sides of your tongue and your mouth will water more with higher acidity.
2. Sweetness - your wine may be dry, medium or sweet, which you will feel on the top of your tongue.
3. Tannin - this is found mostly in red wines, which have longer contact with the grape skins during fermentation. A wine high in tannins will make your gums feel as though they are drying out.
4. Body - is the wine light, medium or does it feel very rich and weighty?  Compare with skimmed, semi-skimmed and full fat milk.
 
Wines contain a phenomenal amount of flavours and aromas, so the best way to start to increase your memory bank of tastes and smells is to raid your kitchen cupboards and fridge and smell everything you have!
 
Some of the following are often found in wines made from classic grape varieties:
 
Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapefruit, citrus, elderflowers, mushroom, coffee, chocolate, pepper, petrol, leather, pencil shavings, tar… and that’s just to name a few!
 
All these elements will also help you decide with which foods they are well matched. There are some more tips food and wine matching here.
 
The following gives you an idea of the kind of aromas and flavours you will find in wines, but you will discover more the more you practice.
 
white grape varietieswhite grape varieties
chardonnay - melon, butter and tropical fruits
sauvingon blanc – gooseberries, asparagus and nettles
riesling – peaches and citrus fruits when young; petrol aromas when older
muscat - grapes
gewurtztraminer - lychees
  

red grape varieties
 red grape varieties
cabernet sauvignon – blackcurrants and blackberries
syrah/shiraz – black fruits, spice and pepper
merlot – ripe plums
pinot noir – strawberries when young; farm sheds and more vegetal when older.
 
   
enjoy!
Whether you are drinking a glass of wine on it’s own or with food, addressing these four elements will increase your enjoyment of the wine-tasting experience.  Of course, it's more fun to explore with a friend so come to one of our tasting events for singles in London!
 
You might also like to find out some more info on drinks at WineDater's drinks cabinet.
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