Wine Tasting 101: Sensory Evaluation, Key Terms, and Quiz

Glossary of Key Terms

• Acidity: The tart, sour, or mouthwatering sensation in wine, primarily caused by tartaric acid. Provides freshness and balance.
• Aroma: The smell of wine, often used interchangeably with "bouquet." It reveals the grape variety, winemaking techniques, and aging.
• Balance: Harmony between the components of wine: sweetness, acidity, tannin, alcohol, and flavor. A well-balanced wine has no single element dominating.
• Body: The weight and fullness of wine in the mouth. It ranges from light-bodied (like skim milk) to full-bodied (like heavy cream).
• Bouquet: The complex aromas that develop in wine as it ages, often including notes beyond the primary fruit aromas.
• Clarity: The visual appearance of the wine, indicating whether it is clear, hazy, or cloudy.
• Complexity: The presence of multiple layers of aromas and flavors, making the wine interesting and engaging to drink.
• Dry: A wine with little or no residual sugar, meaning it is not sweet.
• Finish: The lingering aftertaste of wine after swallowing. A long finish is generally considered desirable.
• Flavor: The taste of the wine on the palate, influenced by the grape variety, terroir, and winemaking process.
• Intensity: The strength and concentration of aromas, flavors, or color in the wine.
• Off-Dry: A wine with a slight sweetness, containing a perceivable level of residual sugar.
• Oak: The flavor imparted to wine by aging in oak barrels, often adding notes of vanilla, spice, toast, or cedar.
• Sweetness: The level of sugar in wine, ranging from dry to off-dry to sweet.
• Tannin: A bitter, astringent compound found in grape skins, stems, and seeds. Contributes to the structure, texture, and aging potential of red wines, creating a drying sensation in the mouth.

Short-Answer Quiz

1. What are the three primary sensory aspects used to evaluate a wine?
2. Explain the difference between "aroma" and "bouquet" in wine terminology.
3. Describe the role of "tannins" in red wine and their effect on the palate.
4. What does "balance" refer to in the context of wine tasting, and why is it important?
5. How does the "finish" of a wine contribute to the overall tasting experience?
6. Provide three descriptive terms for the "color" of white wines, ranging from pale to more intense.
7. Name three "fruity" aromas commonly found in red wines.
8. Give an example of a "floral" aroma and an "earthy" aroma that you might detect in a wine.
9. What does "off-dry" indicate in terms of the sweetness level of a wine?
10. How does the "body" of a wine affect its perceived texture in the mouth?

Short-Answer Quiz Answer Key

1. The three primary sensory aspects used to evaluate wine are appearance (visual assessment), aroma (smell), and taste (palate).
2. "Aroma" refers to the initial smells of the wine, primarily derived from the grape varietal. "Bouquet" develops with aging, encompassing more complex aromas resulting from fermentation and maturation.
3. Tannins, found in grape skins, stems, and seeds, give red wine structure and a drying, astringent sensation on the palate. They contribute to the wine's aging potential.
4. Balance in wine means that sweetness, acidity, tannin, alcohol, and flavor are in harmony. No single element overwhelms the others, leading to a pleasurable tasting experience.
5. The finish is the lingering aftertaste of the wine. A longer finish indicates complexity and quality, leaving a lasting impression on the palate.
6. Descriptive terms for white wine color: lemon yellow (pale), golden yellow (medium intensity), amber (intense).
7. Fruity aromas in red wine: blackcurrant, blackberry, raspberry.
8. Floral aroma: rose. Earthy aroma: mushroom.
9. "Off-dry" signifies a wine with a touch of sweetness, meaning it has a perceivable but not dominant level of residual sugar.
10. Body describes the weight and fullness of wine in the mouth. A light-bodied wine feels delicate, a medium-bodied wine has moderate weight, and a full-bodied wine feels rich and dense.

Essay Questions

1. Explain how the concept of "terroir" influences the aroma and flavor profile of a wine.
2. Discuss the factors that contribute to the "complexity" of a wine and its importance in sensory evaluation.
3. Describe the differences in tasting and describing white wines compared to red wines, highlighting key characteristics to consider.
4. Analyze the relationship between the "acidity" and "sweetness" of a wine and their role in achieving balance.
5. Elaborate on the role of oak aging in winemaking, considering its influence on aromas, flavors, and texture.