TASTING NOTES: Blenheim Vineyards Dear Wine Diary Cabernet Franc Creating Your Own Wine Tasting Notes “This Virginia red wine is aged 9 months in American BY LINDA BARRETT and Hungarian oak barrels. Notes of smoke, dried herbs, hen it comes to describing wine, we all know enough to be dangerous. eucalyptus, cedar and cracked Yet, even the most knowledgeable among us are ummoxed by some pepper make this an intriguing of the terminology and methods used to describe wine. Here, we’ll example of Virginia Cabernet Whelp you understand how wines are described and show you how you can create your Franc. This wine is not masked own tasting notes or tasting journal. by oak, creating a juicy expression of this varietal.” Wine terminology Visit any winery and you will be handed the wine list, with its corresponding descriptions. Here are a few common terms that may help you understand how a wine receives its description.
Acidity Wines with high Cigar These wines hint at Opulent Opulent describes acidity are described as sweetness and cedar, and offer a wine that is smooth, bold “tart” as opposed to “round.” a smoky taste. This is a wine to and rich. Reds generally have a lighter sit and sip. color, and whites can have Structured A structured characteristics similar to Complex In a complex wine, citrus juice. due to its high tannin levels. time you sip it to the time you Agewine this can wine be dif�icult and it shouldto drink Austere Considered an swallow.the �lavor changes from the mellow out. “unfriendly” wine, austere generally means the wine has Crisp Crisp wine is simple and very high acidity and very little Toasty These wines refer to generally is a white. It’s great those aged in Medium Plus for a hot summer day. Toasted Oak barrels, offering a fruit �lavors. Big A big wine brings a large Earthy This term describes a sometimes-unpleasant green burnt caramel �inish. your mouth and tongue. Unoaked An unoaked white It�lavor can alsoinvolving mean all that sections it has of wine is zesty, with lemony big tannins. �inish on a wine. Elegant An elegant vintage be tart. Unoaked refers to the has higher acidity and more lack�lavors, of vanilla, while a butter, red is likelycream to or Bright Bright wines make green characteristics, and is your mouth water due to their better once it has aged a bit. It higher acidity. baking spices �lavors. is often described as elegant Velvety Like chocolate, when it is not bold, fruity or big. velvety wines are smooth, silky Buttery Buttery wine is aged and lush. Oaked Fermenting in oak or less acidic, with a creamy gives white wine a butter, texturein oak and that is resonates rich and �lat, on the vanilla or coconut overtone, middle of the tongue like oil or while in red wines it adds
spices or dill. butter, with a smooth �inish. �lavors similar to vanilla, baking
84 VivaTysons ◊ JANUARY // FEBRUARY 2015 VIVATYSONS.COM Writing your own tasting notes With any wine tasting, it’s fun to taste and make comments. Take it to the next level by creating your own tasting journal with these helpful steps. 1. Appearance 4. Acidity, Tannins Describe the color you see in the and Body wine, and note its shade intensity using descriptive words for the red, purple or Acidity: Acidity refers to the tartness yellow tones, such as deep, medium, or how puckering a wine is. With golden, greenish, opaque or pale. a high acidity, the wine may o er characteristics similar to a lemon or lime. With low acidity, it may be similar 2. Aromas to watermelon. Texture is the key. Note TASTING NOTES: Aromas are sometimes referred to as Tannins: whether the wine has a “grip,” or a the “nose” or “bouquet.” Take a rst feeling that it sticks to your teeth. Chrysalis sni and jot down the aromas that Vineyards Viognier come to mind rst. First impressions Body: Notice how the wine feels in “The wine has a heady can include “fruity” or “ oral.” en your mouth—its silky, rough, heavy or perfume; a mélange swirl your glass and take a second sni thick feel. e fuller it feels, the more consisting of cantaloupe, to look for more descriptors such as body it has. peaches, nectarines, orange “fruit,” “buttery” or “vanilla,” or even blossoms and honeysuckle. “barnyard,” “musty” or “earthy.” List the On the palate, the wine is primary aroma rst. 5. Finishes bold with sweet citrus and e nish occurs the moment after apple notes follow by hints the wine’s avor dissipates, and leaves a of pineapple and Limoncello, 3. Flavors speci c aftertaste such as earthy, woody with an underlying minerality. Take a healthy taste and swirl the or sweet. While you can make a pleasant Fermentation in neutral oak wine around in your mouth several wine from inferior grapes, you cannot barrels round out the wine seconds before swallowing. Describe the fake a long nish. Only the best grapes and add a creamy texture.” wine’s taste as it hits your tongue and and the best winemaking processes note whether you perceive it as sweet, result in a beautiful nish. (Note: On bitter, sour or salty, and note similarities a wine grading scale, the nish is what to foods. often gives wine its highest ratings.) Primary: Primary tastes come from Sweet Finish: e most popular the type of grape and its terroir, and nish, the sweet nish o ers a note of might be described as tobacco, black sweetness, even if the wine itself is dry. pepper or plum, for example. When In reds, the note could be reminiscent of Total Wine & More provides two describing a wine for your own tasting sweet blackberry or sweet tobacco. wine tasting records—one each for notes, list the primary taste rst, with Tart but Tingly Finish: With a reds and whites—you can download others to follow. more bitter or tart nish, with some and use for your own tastings. Secondary: Developed in the possible green notes, a quality wine’s Download them: winemaking process, secondary avors acid will tingle and persist, giving it a can include slightly more subtle notes long nish. www.totalwine.com/extra/tasting- such as fresh butter, baked bread, fruity, Fresh Finish: is nish indicates a sheets/tasting_sheet_white.pdf chocolate, nutty or caramel. number of secondary avors on the nish, and Tertiary: Tertiary avors develop and may refer to freshly-made wine. www.totalwine.com/extra/tasting- through aging and often the oak, Keeping a wine tasting journal will sheets/tasting_sheet_red.pdf and include more identi able avors help you record wines you loved, and such as vanilla, clove, coconut, perhaps some you didn’t. In either case, smoke, or almond. the most enjoyment comes when you can recognize the complexities and AUTHOR: Linda Barrett is Wine Editor for Viva ❖ Tysons and owner of the corporate writing fi rm All avors each individual wine can o er. the Buzz, www.allthebuzz.net.
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