Describing and Evaluating Wine

Wine tasting, like any other specialized field, has its own terminology which enables tasters to communicate impressions and judgments in a meaningful way. This section deals with the vocabulary of describing and evaluating. The complete evaluation of a wine involves the description of appearance, aroma, taste, tactile sensations, finish and balance and harmony. It is also important to note possible defects.

Appearance
The most immediate aspect of the appearance of a wine is its color. Other features to note are clarity, fluidity and effervescence.

Color
Standard terms used to describe the most common shades for white wines are:

1. Pale straw with green reflections: typical of very young wines
2. Straw yellow: a common shade for wines with moderate bottle age
3. (Pale) gold: characteristic of great wines in their mature state
4. Amber Tawny: typical of OLD dessert or wines made from partially dried grapes. Also the unhealthy shade of oxidized wine.

Many of the standard terms for rosé wines are borrowed from French and Italian. They include,

1. Rosé (Fr): the classic shade for wines made with short skin contact.
   Technically defined as wines with a maximum of 50 milligrams of anthocyanins per liter.
2. Chiaretto (It): the pale shade of red obtained by slightly longer skin contact. The anthocyanins do not exceed 100 milligrams per liter

Young wines from dark grapes vinified with little skin contact can also show hints of orange, coral or salmon. "Blush wines", as they are sometimes described, fit into this category. Some rosé takes on tawny shades with age, though usually signs of browning mean the wine is oxidizing.

Terms used to describe the main colors in red wines are:

1. Purple-red: the common shade for young, often immature wines
2. Ruby: a more evolved but still youthful shade
3. Garnet: the color word for classic wines at the peak of their maturity
4. Brick red: paler shades associated with older but still healthy wine.

Changes in shade are one of the features of the evolution and ageing of red wine. Mature, quality wines take on subtle gradations of depth and intensity of color which are evaluated by tilting the glass as and noting the gradations in shade from the centre of the glass towards the edge. Pronounced yellow or brown colors at the rim indicate that the wine is past its prime, though some old red wines that show tawny or amber tones are still quite drinkable.

Clarity

1. Brilliant: perfect transparency; the surface of the wine reflects the light
2. Clear: normal state of clarity
3. Dull: an unhealthy lack of luster
4. Cloudy: with suspended particles visible to the naked eye.

Commercial wine, whatever its category, should be clear, perfectly transparent and free of deposits or suspended particles. Any sign of cloudiness indicates a defect. A fine wine of any color at its prime should be not only clear but also bright with a luminous quality.

Fluidity
Swirling the wine in the glass whether it has normal viscosity or is unusually heavy or thin.
A dense wine - one that has a high alcohol or sugar content - will usually form more "legs" on the side of the glass than a light wine.

Effervescence
The test of effervescence applies mainly to sparkling wines (wines with 3.5 -6 atmospheres of pressure). It comprises the evaluation of the persistence of the mousse or froth which forms as the wine is poured and that of the perlage or bead, the bubbles which rise from the bottom of the glass. The perlage is also judged by the size of the bubbles. In the best quality wines bubbles are fine and continue to rise in a steady flow. If the bubbles cease quickly, if they are large and irregular, or seem to hang in suspension, the wine is probably either faulty or poor quality.

Table wines with a light effervescence, (up to 2 atmospheres of pressure) are sometimes described with a term derived from German, spritzy or “perlant” in French and “crémant in Champagne.

Aroma
The first impression to describe is that of the intensity, persistence and general quality of the aromas or "nose". The second stage involves noting the general character of the nose. The final stage consists in identifying specific aromas.

Intensity
Is described on a scale from "powerful" or "penetrating" to "light" or "barely perceptible". Immature wines in which the aromas are have not yet developed are said to be "closed".

Persistence
Persistence refers to the length of time the aroma remains in the nasal cavity. Some odors linger and others are fleeting, sensed only for an instant.

Quality
Generic words to describe the aromas of a wine are

1. Rich/broad: to denote full and complex aromas
2. Well-defined: for aromas which are pronounced and clearly identifiable
3. Clean: for aromas free of extraneous or defective odors
4. Elegant: to denote ba1ance and refined character; for top quality wines
5. Coarse: lacking in basic quality

Character
Basic terms to describe the character of primary and secondary aromas are,

1. Aromatic: with marked primary or varietal aroma
2. Vinous: with the strong fermentation odors of very young, immature wine
3. Fruity: with the dominant fresh fruit aromas of young wines
4. Floral: reminiscent of flowers or blossoms.
5. The term "bouquet" refers to tertiary aroma, the complex odors which develop in quality wines aged in wood and refined in bottle.

Aromas in young white wines commonly include

1. Fresh fruit: apple, pear, peach, apricot, citrus
2. Flowers: acacia, mimosa, elder, lilacs, broom, hawthorn, jasmine
3. Miscellaneous: bread crust, boiled sweets.

1. Tropical fruit: banana, pineapple, mango
2. Dried fruit and nuts: figs, raisins, hazelnuts, pine nuts, toasted almonds
3. Miscellaneous: vanilla, caramel, honey, resin or tea.
4. Young and aromatic red wines commonly have aromas which include
   Red fruit/ berries: cherries, currants, raspberries, strawberries
   Flowers: violets, rose, iris, jasmine.

For mature red wines references are often to

1. Dark fruit/berries: blackcurrants, blackberries, plums, mulberries
2. Spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, anise, pepper, liquorice.
3. Miscellaneous: vanilla, caramel, honey, resin or tea.

Older, more evolved red wines often have complex aromas likened to

1. Animal scents: leather, fur, game
2. Spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, anise, pepper, liquorice.
3. Miscellaneous: chocolate, vanilla, toasted coffee, tar, resin, moss, undergrowth, sandalwood or truffles

The standard adjectives used to describe positive degrees of acidity are:

1. Fresh (0.5-0.6 g/l): typical of refreshing young wines
2. Crisp (0.6-0.7 g/l): for wines with marked, dry acidity
3. Nervy (0.7-0.8 g/l): for wines in which acidity predominates. Around 0.5 g/liter of total fixed acids are necessary to give balance and bring flavors to life. A wine with less than 0.5 grammes will probably taste "flat" or "flabby". Words used to describe an excess of acidity (>0.9 g/l) include "green", "sharp" and "acidulous".

Other Tastes
Of the other basic tastes, saltiness is barely perceptible and serves mainly heighten sweet and acid flavors. Pronounced bitterness is noted as a defect.

Tactile Sensations

Alcohol
Alcohol gives a sensation of warmth in the mouth which is described on a scale using the following terms. Alcohol content of 12°-12.5° is normal in a balanced, well-made wine.

1. Light: denotes a wine which is balanced but which does not give any impression of warmth. Corresponds to around 11° alc.
2. Warm, Hot: denotes a distinct impression of alcohol. Corresponds to around 13° alc.
3. Generous: used for a wine in which the sensation of warmth is one of the predominant features.

In normal table wines an alcohol content over 15° alc will create imbalance and an unpleasant hot sensation. On the other hand wines with less than 9° alc will usually seem "weak and thin".

Tannin
Tannins are an important component of red wines for ageing. In mature wines they should be present in balanced amounts. Young or immature full bodied wines can have excessive tannins which interrupt the lubricating flow of saliva in the mouth and create an uncomfortable sensation of astringency.

Body
The non-soluble substances in wine are known as dry extract. These combine with alcohol to create the "body" of a wine. Wines with good body give a feeling of weight on the palate which should be in balance with the other sensations. Wines lacking body are often described as thin or lean. Those with too much body, making them tiring and unpleasant to drink, are referred to being fat or heavy.

Texture
Texture refers to how wine feels in the mouth. Good balance between alcohol, acidity and other elements makes a wine feel "supple" and "well rounded". Wines with high alcohol, glycerin and extract in proportion to their acidity and (in red wines) tannins can be described as fleshy. An excessively soft texture can give an unappealing oily sensation. At the other extreme wines which are described as "stringy" have a rough, coarse texture.

Prickle
A slight prickle in certain young table wines is a lively, refreshing feature. In a fully sparkling wine the slow but steady flow of carbon dioxide should give a sensation of foamy or creamy smoothness. Excessive carbon dioxide creates a sharp, biting effect that distracts from the basic flavors. Too little makes the wine taste flat.

Finish
After the basic flavors and feel of a wine are registered, the palate records the finish and the olfactory system the lingering sensations of aroma known as "Intense Aromatic Persistence" (I.A.P.).

I.A.P.
The duration of I.A.P. is an important indicator of quality. It can be measured in seconds. In a well-made young wine aromas usually last from 3-7 seconds. In a fine, mature wine they should last from 7-10 seconds and in exceptional cases they may linger up to 15 seconds or more. A wine is described as short if the I.A.P. lasts less than 2 seconds or in any case less than the norm for its type.

The finish on the palate is important for evaluating balance. In white wines it depends on the equilibrium between the impression of acidity and that of softness. In red wines these two components should also be in balance with a third, the tannins.

Balance and Harmony
Balanced flavor in wine depends on how the basic elements of taste and touch interrelate on the palate. Some elements heighten other flavor sensations: Acids and tannins reinforce each other.

1. Carbon dioxide heightens sensations of acidity and tannicity
2. Saltiness increases the sense of sweetness and acidity...

Other elements have attenuating effects:

1. Acidity attenuates the warm feel of alcohol
2. Alcohol lessens the sense of bitterness.

In other cases, certain elements are masked:

1. Carbon dioxide partly covers the sense of sweetness
2. Alcohol masks salty flavors.

Harmony in a wine depends on the way tastes, aromas and tactile sensations combine. The point of perfect balance is that at which no single element dominates the others.

Defects
Some minor changes in the condition of a wine are of a nature that do not detract from the aroma or flavor. The most common example is the precipitation of tart rates, yeasts or coloring substances which form a sediment in the bottom of the bottle. More serious defects due to contamination alter the taste and odor. The most common are:

1. Taste/smell of cork: a moldy smell of mushrooms or damp earth caused by corks made from raw material infected by a parasitic fungus, Armillaria Mellea. Another source of contamination is a mould which can form under the corks of bottles left standing upright and which has a smell reminiscent of wet cardboard. It can be avoided by storing bottles horizontally so the wine is always in contact with the bottom of the cork.
2. Taste/smell of dry wood: is the result of the neglect of barrel hygiene. Left empty without cleaning with sulphur, barrels may transmit odors of dry wood and astringent flavors to wine aged in them.
3. Smell of Sulphur: an acrid odor similar to that of a struck match, caused by the excessive use of Sulphur dioxide. Also leaves a bitter, prickly sensation at the back of the throat.
4. Oxidation: is a serious defect which mainly affects dry white wines. Also known as maderization. Oxidized wines have an unhealthy dark and lifeless color and an unpleasant odor like burnt caramel.