| Here is a guide that will help you enjoy your next | | | | that will follow. That is why is not a bad idea to |
| wine tasting even more and understand the subtle | | | | spit out the wine after tasting or only consume a |
| differences in the wines you are sampling. Take | | | | small drink of each. |
| this guide with you so you will know what to look | | | | Another component of wine is the acidity, which |
| for. | | | | will affect the sugars. If the acidity is not in |
| The primary taste sensations your tongue is | | | | proper balance, it will greatly affect the flavor of |
| designed to discern are sweet, sour, salty and | | | | the wine and the taste can be overwhelming. |
| bitter. When tasting wine you will use these and | | | | Once you tasted a wine that is high in acidity you |
| other senses like smell, sight an even feel to get | | | | will know it right away. It will have a very sharp, |
| the most out of the wine and really enjoy it as | | | | lingering taste. However, with the right balance of |
| much as possible. Wines have a complex nature | | | | acidity, all the flavors of a wine will come alive in |
| and that is a big part of why we enjoy them so | | | | your mouth. |
| much. You will use all your senses when tasting | | | | Another component that has an affect on flavor |
| wines. | | | | are tannins. These come from skins, vines and |
| Sweetness is a component that wines are well | | | | pulp of grapes and other fruits. With just the right |
| known for. Grapes, because they contain a lot of | | | | amount of tannins, it will give your tongue a great |
| sugar, are responsible for the sweet flavor. The | | | | feel, and the sensations of the other flavors will |
| grapes, together with yeast and through the | | | | be brought out. Tannins too high, often in younger |
| process of fermentation, result in sugars being left | | | | wines, will make you pucker. As a wine ages, the |
| behind. The amount of sugar in a wine will be | | | | tannins will breakdown and the resulting taste will |
| something your tongue will be able to quickly | | | | be softer. |
| detect. | | | | The last flavor associated with wine is oak. The |
| As we all know, alcohol is also a significant | | | | flavor of oak is actually transferred to a wine as |
| component in wine. But your tongue will have a | | | | it ages in oak barrels. |
| hard time deciphering the taste of alcohol. | | | | The length of time a wine spends in an oak barrel |
| However, even though your tongue won't taste | | | | will have an effect on how much of an oak taste |
| the alcohol, you will feel it in your mouth. | | | | will be part of the overall flavor. In most cases, |
| It is important to remember the effect alcohol will | | | | the aging will be just enough to where the oak |
| have as you taste. It will have the tendency to | | | | taste is just barely noticeable, adding further |
| dilate blood vessels. When this happens all of the | | | | uniqueness to each variety. |
| other flavors in the wine will be intensified. | | | | There are other flavors involved with the taste |
| However, after you have sampled a few types | | | | of wine, but these are more subtle. The |
| of wine, the alcohol level can easily have the | | | | categories mention here are the ones you need |
| effect of numbing your taste buds, making it hard | | | | to get most familiar with to really enjoy and |
| to distinguish the differences and flavors in wines | | | | appreciate the wine. |