Drinking a glass of wine is usually associated with moments of pleasure and special memories. For those who enjoy it, this is a enriching experience, whether we are alone, with others, having a meal, or at the end of the day.
Find yourself somewhere comfortable, if it’s free of odours with good light it will help you detect the wine’s different aromas and colours. The glass should be plain, transparent, colourless and the most suitable for the type of wine you are trying.
Keep a notebook or sheet of paper close to take notes.
Start by observing the wine. Tilt the glass on a white surface and try to identify the wine’s colour, limpidity and effervescence.
Colour: When they are younger, red wines have deeper colours with bluish nuances. With age, they acquire more brownish tones.
In general, deeper colours in white wines mean they are sweeter.
The colours of rosé wines range from orange to red.
Clarity: The wine should be clear and bright.
Sometimes reds have a deposit. Don’t worry, it’s the natural result of separation over time.
The wine’s aromas are classified by analogy to other aromas we have in our sensorial memory. They can be fruitier or more floral and are divided into primary, secondary and tertiary aromas.
Body: the wine’s body is perceptible through its tannins, alcohol, glycerol and sugars.
Balance: the combination of four elementary flavours should be pleasant for the wine to be balanced. In white wines, the balance means harmony between sweet and acidic, while, in the reds, it comes from a mix of bitterness and astringency.
Persistence: how long the different sensations last dictates the wine’s persistence. The longer they take to disappear, the more persistent it is.
