Wine Assessing
Table of contents
The aim of technical wine evaluation is to objectively assess the various sensory properties of a wine. This includes its appearance, aroma, flavour, taste and mouthfeel properties. The complexity, body and finish are also assessed in order to determine its overall wine quality.
Color and Clarity
To evaluate the appearance of a wine, hold your glass against a white background and hold it at 45 degrees. Its important to look at both the clarity and the color. Good wines have good clarity, which are described as brilliant, clear, lively, or transparant. Wines with poor clarity are described as cloudy, hazy, or dull.
We can describe the color in terms of both depth and hue. The depth or intensity, of a wine can be described as pale, light, medium, or deep, whereas hue describes the shade of color.
Aroma
Wine aroma includes the varietal expression that comes from the fruit itself, as well as aromas that come from wine making, oak maturation, and aging.
Swirl the wine in your glass to release the aroma. Then, sniff hard and deeply. Try not to use descriptors such as fruity and oaky, since these are broad terms that probably describe most wines. Instead, if you can smell fruit, think about the type of fruit. Is it citrus, berry fruit, or tropical fruit?
Tasting
Take about 10ml into your mouth and aerate it by drawing in air for a few seconds. This helps to release the volatile compounds. Now distribute the wine in your mouth. See what flavours evolve with time. You might find these are similar to the aroma attributes. But sometimes, aroma and flavour can be suprisingly different.
In terms of taste, we’re usually referring to the sweetness and acidity of the wine. Body refers to the weight of the wine in your mouth. That is, the combined effect of viscosity, flavour, concentration, and astringency. Light bodied wines are sometimes described as thin or watery, whereas full bodies wines are described as full or rich. Sometimes high alcohol content wines will even impart a warming sensation.