| To identify a wine, you must rely on three | | | | Identifying Wines |
| senses: sight, smell, and taste. We will use sensory | | | | Now that you have trained your eyes, nose, and |
| descriptions of the 5 most common wines, but | | | | tongue to identify different characteristics, I will |
| first we must train our three senses to recognize | | | | break down 5 of the most common wine |
| the different characteristics. This is the most | | | | varieties. With a little practice, you should have no |
| important part, as your senses must be trained | | | | trouble picking them out. |
| to recognize the different characteristics of each | | | | 1. Cabernet Sauvignon |
| wine. | | | | Cabs are the easiest. They are the deepest, |
| Sight | | | | darkest of all red wines (10/10 on the color scale). |
| Sight is the easiest. We have words to describe all | | | | Some even have a deep purple color. Their |
| visual characteristics (red, dark, clear, etc), so you | | | | aroma can be fruity, but you can usually tell even |
| won't have to spend much time training your | | | | without tasting that they are bold and full-bodied. |
| eyes. In other words, you already know how to | | | | Tasting should leave no doubt, as Cabs are the |
| tell a dark wine from a light, and a red from a | | | | boldest and most full-bodied of all wines. |
| white. You are already well on your way to | | | | 2. Shiraz/Syrah |
| identifying some of the different types of wine! | | | | The color of Shiraz (same as Syrah, just made in |
| Taste | | | | Australia) is a medium-dark red. It can't be |
| Your taste buds are obviously extremely | | | | identified purely by its color. It can be identified by |
| important in identifying wines. There are several | | | | taste and smell though! Shiraz will usually have a |
| elements of taste that they can recognize (what | | | | very fruity aroma (dark fruit like plum) with hints |
| we know as flavors). They are: salty, sour, bitter, | | | | of chocolate and pepper. Shiraz has a distinctly |
| sweet, spicy and umami (or savory). Every flavor | | | | peppery (spicy) taste, and fruit and chocolate |
| you know is a combination of these six elements! | | | | tastes are normally present. |
| Different parts of your tongue recognize different | | | | 3. Merlot |
| taste elements, so it is important that you use | | | | Merlot is typically the sweetest and most |
| your entire mouth when tasting wine (including the | | | | light-bodied of the common red wines. It's color is |
| back of your throat). This is why some people | | | | usually the lightest red (not pink like a rose, but |
| swirl their wine in their mouth when tasting. | | | | light red). It is low in acidity, and has a sweet, |
| To train your taste, try different types of wine | | | | soft, fruity taste profile. |
| and practice picking out the subtle flavors like | | | | 4. Chardonnay |
| spicy, acid, cherry, etc. You should be able to tell | | | | Chardonnay is a light yellow color. Think of the |
| right away whether a wine is astringent (makes | | | | color of Champagne, it's exactly the same |
| your mouth pucker, indicates high acidity), | | | | (because most champagnes use Chardonnay |
| full-bodied (high alcohol, thicker, bolder), or sweet. | | | | grapes). Chardonnay is really hard to identify by |
| Take some time identifying the flavor elements in | | | | smell alone. A slight smokiness can be a clue, or a |
| several different wines. Use your entire mouth | | | | hint of pineapple if it is a Napa Valley Chardonnay. |
| and pick out the taste characteristics. | | | | The only way to really tell is by tasting. It will |
| Smell | | | | display a smokiness, and you should pick up some |
| Smell is last because it is the most complex, and | | | | pineapple and/or green apple flavors. |
| therefor the most difficult to master. While all | | | | 5. Riesling |
| flavors are combinations of six elements, you are | | | | Riesling is a sweet white wine. It is a very pale |
| capable of recognizing up to two hundred smells! | | | | color. You will notice floral aromas, as well as |
| Imagine the amount of combinations possible! | | | | stone fruits like apricot, pear, apple and peach. |
| The main problem with training your sense of | | | | When tasting, you will notice a minerally |
| smell is that there are not enough words to | | | | "gunmetal" taste, as well as an almost kerosene |
| describe every smell. To train your nose, you | | | | note, on top of the sweetness of the wine. |
| must use language to tie each smell to a word. | | | | If you have practised my tips from above on |
| That is why wine tasters use words like flowery, | | | | training your eyes, nose, and taste buds to |
| oaky, and cassis. Practice smelling different kind of | | | | recognize common characteristics, you should be |
| wines and naming each aroma that you detect. If | | | | able to use my descriptions to identify these five |
| it's fruity, pick out the different types of fruit | | | | common wines. Have fun learning, drinking, and |
| smells present. | | | | identifying different types of wines. |