Tasting Techniques

The WSET systematic approach to tasting and evaluating Wine have four stages.

1. APPEARANCE: C-I-C 

   • Clarity: clear – hazy  

   • Intensity: pale – medium – deep  

   • Characteristics of Colour: deeper colour indicates ageing 

     • white: lemon – gold – amber  

     • rosé: pink – salmon – orange  

     • red: purple (bluey red) – ruby – garnet (orange red) – tawny (brown red) 

2. NOSE: C-I-C 

   • Condition: clean – unclean 

   • Intensity: light – medium – pronounced  

   • Characteristics of Aroma: primary – secondary – tertiary 

3. PALATE: 

   • Sweetness: dry – off-dry – medium – sweet  

   • Acidity: low – medium – high (mouth-watering sensation) 

   • Tannin (red wine only): low – medium – high (gum-tightening bitterness) 

   • Body: light – medium – full (viscosity) 

   • Finish: short – medium – long 

   • Characteristics of Flavour: primary – secondary – tertiary  

4. CONCLUSION: B-L-I-C 

   • Balance: sweetness/fruitiness VS. acidity/tannin 

   • Length: > or < 5 seconds 

   • Intensity: dilute VS. intense 

   • Complexity: different layers of flavour 

If wine tasting is like knowing a person, then wine-food pairing is like forming a team. The general principle is to harmonise different tastes. Humans have four savoury tastes: sour, sweet, salty and bitter--note that chilli heat is a tactile (touch) sensation rather than one of taste sensation. Here are some important guidelines in pairing these tastes: 

• DOs: acid and fat, sugar with sweet, umami and fruity/acid/salt, bitter and low tannin, chilli heat and low alcohol/tannin. 

• DON’Ts: umami with high tannin, bitter with high tannin.

• Sweetness and umami in food tend to make wines taste harder. 

• Salt and acid in food tend to make wines taste softer. 

Appendix: Aroma and Flavour Characteristics

• Floral: blossom, rose, violet 

• Fruit:  

  • Green fruit: apple, pear, gooseberry 

  • Citrus fruit: grapefruit, lemon, lime 

  • Stone fruit: peach, apricot, nectarine 

  • Tropical fruit: banana, lychee, mango, melon, passion fruit, pineapple 

  • Red fruit: strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, plum, cranberry, redcurrant 

  • Black fruit: blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, blackcurrant 

  • Dried fruit: fig, prune, raisin, kirsch 

• Spice/Vegetable:  

  • Under-ripeness: green/white pepper, tomato, potato 

  • Herbaceous: grass, asparagus 

  • Herbal: mint, lavender 

  • Vegetable: cabbage, peas, beans, olive 

  • Sweet spice: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla 

  • Pungent spice: black pepper, liquorice 

• Other: secondary and tertiary 

  • Autolytic: yeast, biscuit, bread, toast, pastry, lees 

  • Dairy: butter, cheese, cream, yoghurt 

  • Oak: vanilla, toast, cedar, wood, smoke 

  • Nut: almond, coconut, hazelnut, walnut, chocolate, coffee 

  • Animal: leather, meaty 

  • Vegetal: mushroom, tobacco, cedar, honey, cereal 

  • Mineral: earth, petrol, rubber, tar, wet wool