Blog, Wine Tasting

Wine Tasting Notes: A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on by Vasanti Wines
wine tasting
06
Jul

A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Wine Tasting Notes

Are you new to the world of wine and puzzled by wine tasting notes? This guide is here to help you decipher the fascinating language of wine. Let’s explore how to understand and interpret “wine tasting notes” in a way that enhances your wine appreciation journey.

What Are Wine Tasting Notes?

Wine tasting notes serve as a wine’s resume, detailing its flavors, aromas, and overall character. Written by wine professionals or enthusiasts, these notes help communicate the complexities and nuances of wine. But how do we understand them?

Breaking Down Wine Tasting Notes

Wine tasting notes are often divided into three main components: the appearance, the nose (aroma), and the palate (taste). Understanding these aspects can deepen your appreciation for wine and help you discover new favorites.

Interpreting the Appearance in Wine Tasting Notes

The first step in understanding wine tasting notes involves analyzing the wine’s appearance.

Wine Color and Clarity

Wine tasting notes often start by describing a wine’s color and clarity. Reds can range from light ruby to deep garnet, while whites can range from pale lemon to deep gold. The color can give clues to the wine’s age, grape variety, and the climate where it was grown.

Deciphering the Nose and Palate in Wine Tasting Notes

The nose and palate are where wine tasting notes truly come to life.

Aromas (Nose)

Aromas, or the nose of the wine, refer to the smells that arise from a glass of wine. Common descriptors include different types of fruit, flowers, herbs, spices, earthy notes, and even non-food items like tobacco or stone.

Tastes (Palate)

The palate refers to the flavors perceived when you taste the wine. Tasting notes will often mention whether a wine is dry or sweet, its acidity level, tannins (in red wine), alcohol level, and any flavor characteristics. Descriptors for the palate can be similar to the nose, with the addition of taste sensations such as sweetness or bitterness.

Developing Your Wine Tasting Notes Vocabulary

With experience, your own wine tasting notes will become more precise and nuanced. Don’t be intimidated by the wealth of descriptors you might encounter; with time, you’ll develop your unique wine vocabulary.

Common Terms in Wine Tasting Notes

Here are a few common terms you might encounter in wine tasting notes:

  1. Body: This refers to the weight and fullness of the wine in your mouth. It can be light, medium, or full.
  2. Tannins: These are compounds in red wines that give a drying sensation. They can be soft, moderate, or high.
  3. Finish: This is the taste that lingers after swallowing. A long finish is a sign of quality.
  4. Acidity: This refers to the tartness or crispness in wine. High acidity makes a wine taste more fresh and sharp, while low acidity results in a richer, rounder flavor
  5. Balance: A wine is considered balanced when its elements, including sweetness, acidity, tannins, and alcohol, work in harmony, with no single element dominating the others
  6. Complexity: This term is used when a wine has many layers of flavors and aromas that unfold as you taste the wine
  7. Crisp: This term typically refers to white wines with high acidity that taste fresh and lively
  8. Earthy: This descriptor refers to non-fruit flavors that recall earth, soil, or minerals
  9. Fruity: A wine is described as fruity when its main characteristics are ripe fruit flavors
  10. Jammy: This term is often used for red wines that have a thick, sweet fruit flavor, similar to jam or cooked fruit.
  11. Oak/Oaky: If a wine has been aged in oak barrels, it may take on flavors such as vanilla, caramel, or toast.
  12. Smooth: This is used to describe wines with a pleasing texture, often due to soft tannins.
  13. Structure: This refers to how the components of a wine (acid, tannins, alcohol, and sugar) relate to each other, contributing to the wine’s overall impression.
  14. Vintage: This term refers to the year the grapes were harvested. The vintage can have a significant impact on the taste of the wine due to weather conditions during that growing season.

 

Click here learn about the 5 S’s of Wine Tasting

References

  1. Wine Folly. How to Write Excellent Wine Tasting Notes. Accessed July 2023.
  2. Decanter. [How to Understand Wine](https://www.decanter.com/learn/how-to-under
  3. Wine Spectator. Acidity in Wine. Accessed July 2023.
  4. The Kitchn. Wine Words to Learn: Balance. Accessed July 2023.
  5. Wine Folly. The Secret to Tasting Wine: Complexity vs. Balance. Accessed July 2023.
  6. Wine Enthusiast. Wine Enthusiast’s Glossary of Wine Terms. Accessed July 2023.
  7. Decanter. What Does ‘Earthy’ Mean in Wine?. Accessed July 2023.
  8. Wine Searcher. Understanding Wine Descriptors. Accessed July 2023
  9. Wine Folly. [Wine Descriptions and What They Really Mean](https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-descriptions-and-what