Tasting Tips

The color can tell you if a wine is aged, how deep the tannins are & what flavors to expect

Legs are the steaks of wine that trickle down the side after you swirl it. Generally, the longer they take to trickle down (longer legs), the higher the higher the alcohol content is

What do the aromas remind you of? Start broad and see if you can narrow it down. For example - Fruit, Black Fruit, Blackberry - Spice, Baking Spice, Clove - Herbaceous, Green, Jalapeño

Examples for white wine: vegetables, wet rock, earth, herbs, dried vs fresh vs cooked fruit, fruit (stone, tropical, citrus), butter, bread, floral, gasoline

Examples for red wine: berry, fruits (plum, figs, cherry), dried fruits (raisins, prunes), floral, vegetables, dirt, farm, baking spices, flavor from oak, tobacco, coffee/vanilla

Texture terms (used to describe mouthfeel): acidic, dry/sweet, watery, salty, creamy (round), heavy (mouth coating), alcohol (hot), tannic (rough, chewy)

Flavors

1) Primary: originates from the grape itself - fruit, floral, spice

2) Secondary: originates from fermentation and aging - oak, carbonic maceration (whole grape cluster fermented without crushing, adds floral notes like violet and rose), oxidation

3) Tertiary: originates from bottle aging - mushroom, forest floor, petrol, nuts

How long do the flavors take to dissipate?

Is your mouth still watering?

Do you pick up any additional flavors at the end?