Smell
& Taste
It was thought for a long time that the tastes of
sweet, sour, bitter and salty were isolated to particular areas of
the tongue. All parts of the tongue are able to detect these four
distinct tastes, however, certain regions on the tongue may be more
sensitive than others. Swishing the wine around the mouth and simultaneously
using the sense of smell allows the detection of finer tastes that
may otherwise go unnoticed.
70 to 75 percent of our taste is due to the sense
of smell. The ability to detect more than sweet, sour, bitter and
salty tastes is because of specialized "aroma" nerves in
the nose. Smell and taste are paramount to detect delicate flavors
of anise, figs or apricots for example.
Wine Tasting- Dallas Bartenders
Tasting
Techniques: Appearance, Aromas & Taste
Wine tasting is an art that is subjective in nature.
Wine connoisseurs use guidelines that help categorize and describe
the different characteristics of particular wines. Those wanting to
learn more about wine can easily differentiate between the nuances
and have fun as their wine tasting skills increase.
The wine may be easily judged by appearance if it
is held in front of a white surface such as a tablecloth or piece
of paper. Wines within the same variety will vary in color. White
wines may not be white but actually have a range of color from green
to yellow to brown. White wine with more color usually means it has
more flavor and age although a brown color may mean the wine has gone
bad. White wines generally do not age well unlike red wines. Red wines
will vary from a pale red to a deep brown red becoming lighter in
color with age.
How to Taste Wine- Dallas Bartenders
Rim color:
Tilt the glass of wine away at about a 45 degree
angle and observe the edge or "rim" of the wine. A purple
tint may indicate a younger wine while an orange to brown color indicates
a mature wine.
Swirl the wine:
Swirling the wine helps release the aroma of the
wine and allows one to observe the "legs". These "legs"
drip back down the side of the glass help to determine the viscosity
and alcohol content. The more drips or "legs" indicate a
higher viscosity and higher alcohol content and/or sweetness level.
Smell:
Swirling the wine releases the molecules allowing
the aromas, also known as bouquet or nose, to develop. Then there
are two techniques that tasters employ: One is to take a quick whiff
and formulate an initial impression followed by a second deeper whiff.
The second technique is to take one deep whiff. After the taster smells
the wine the idea is then to contemplate the different impressions
given. Beginning tasters may gain an advantage by taking and keeping
wine notes and saving labels for future reference.
Tasting Wine- Dallas Bartenders
Taste:
The most important quality of a wine is the balance
between acidity and sweetness. The full taste of the wine may be examined
by following these three steps:
1. Intial taste where the mouth's
sensations awaken and the taste buds respond.
2. Taste by swirling the wine around
in the mouth and drawing in some air examining the body and texture.
Then follow up with questions such as, is it light or rich? Smooth
or harsh?
3. The aftertaste that follows swallowing
the wine. How long did the taste last (finish) and was it pleasant?
Take some time to value its overall flavor and balance.
Is the taste appropriate for the type of wine? If the wine is very
dry or sweet should it be?
Wine Tasting- Dallas Bartenders
