But It Tastes Like Wine!

But It Tastes Like Wine! Often times when you taste wine and you are thinking about how to describe the aromas and the flavors, the wine descriptors escape you. So you think “It smells like wine and tastes like wine!” The words used to notate aromas and flavors of wine are the keys to understanding more about the wine itself. Flavor "See, swirl, smell, and sip" is the phrase used in the smell and taste stages of wine evaluation. It is the combination of these nasal and tongue reactions that define flavor. The back of your tongue is sensitive to bitterness. The sides of your tongue are areas that pick up sourness and saltiness. The front of your tongue is where sweetness is perceived. The weight or the body of the wine is detected in the middle of the tongue. Wines also have "feel" in the mouth, which we often describe as "body." A light-bodied wine actually feels light on your tongue. A heavy-bodied red wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, will feel fuller. If the wine feels like skim milk, it is light-bodied; whole milk, medium bodied; cream, full-bodied. These are tactile sensations, rather than sensory, but they are still part of the overall wine evaluation process. The bitter taste in wines is due to tannin. Tannin is a natural flavor component of wine, found in the skins, stems, and seeds. It is common in red wines, particularly young red wines, that the tannin content is high enough (due to extraction from the skins) to be noticeable to the taste. Since white wines have very low tannin content (because of little skin contact during fermentation), they are generally free of a bitter taste. White wines tend to lead to acidity for description. Think of Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Aroma The next time you taste wine, think of these common aromas for red and white wine: White Grape Variety Common Sensory Descriptors Chardonnay Apple, butter, creamy, lemon, vanilla if aged in new oak. Steely, mineral, flinty Riesling Citrus fruits, peach, honey, petrol, spicy Sauvignon Blanc Lime, cut grass, bell pepper, grapefruit, cat pee, crisp, tart, tropical fruit, pineapple Viognier Peach, pear, nutmeg, apricot Gewurztraminer Rose petals, lychee, spice Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) White peach, pear, apricot slate, orange zest, crisp, tart Chenin Blanc Beeswax, honey, apple, apple, almond Red Grape Variety Common Sensory Descriptors Cabernet Sauvignon Black cherry, black currant, cedar, green pepper, mocha, cherry, vanilla, tabacco Merlot Jammy (fruity), cherry, strawberry, fresh red fruit Malbec plums, black cherry and blackberry, smoky, earth, leather Pinot Noir Cherries, plums, mushrooms, earthy, raspberry, strawberry, prunes Sangiovese Earthy, strawberry, raspberry, astringent, candied apple Syrah (Shiraz) Black pepper spice, black berries, plums, smoky Zinfandel Black and white pepper, nutmeg, red and black berry flavors, hot (alcoholic) Think about some of these descriptors as you enjoy your next glass of wine, and until then, cheers!