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Train the Trainer

10 Minute Presentation
November 5th, 2010
Anthony Davidson

WINE TASTING
ESSENTIALS
 Learning Objective
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 Given basic wine knowledge, students will

understand how to properly evaluate wine on
a consistent basis
 Presentation Topics
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1. Wine by Country
2. Wine 101
3. Classic Varietals
4. General Wine Classification
5. Wine Balance
6. Aroma vs. Bouquet
7. Aroma Categories
8. Five Taste Categories
9. Properly Evaluating Wine
10. The Five “S’s” of Wine Tasting
 Wine Production By Country
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Wine Production
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
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Fr S ge u s C r m A C
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 Wine 101
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 There are approximately 5,000 grape varietals around

the globe

 Only approximately 150 are planted in commercially

significant quantities

 Most of these varietals are used in blends and not on their own

 There are only nine varietals that are considered “classic”

 Classic Varietals
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Red Wines White Wines

 Cabernet Sauvignon  Chardonnay

 Merlot  Chenin Blanc
 Pinot Noir  Riesling
 Syrah  Sauvignon Blanc
 Sémillon
 General Wine Classifications
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 Red
 White
 Sparkling
 Rosé
 Fortified
 Wine Glass Style
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 Red Wine
 White Wine
 Sparkling
 Digestif
 Wine: Balanced?
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 Five elements to consider:

 Alcohol Content
 Acidity
 Tannin
 Fruitiness
 Sweetness/Dryness
 Aroma vs. Bouquet
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Aroma Bouquet

 Scents characteristic of  Scents developed during

varietal/region bottle aging
 Attribute of a young  “Winemaker’s” effect

wine  Wine constantly

 “Grapey” aroma evolves
 Basis for which to

judge a wine before

further aging
 Aroma Categories
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 Primary Aromas
 Varietal characteristics

 Secondary Aromas
 Created by fermentation process

 Tertiary Aromas
 Created by bottle aging
 Five Taste Categories
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 Bitterness
 Saltiness
 Sourness
 Sweetness
 Umami
 Properly Evaluating Wine
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 Appearance
 Color and Clarity

 Aroma/Bouquet
 Is it indicative of the varietal/region?

 Taste
 Includes mouthfeel and finish
 “Five S’s” of Wine Tasting
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 See See

 Swirl
Savor Swirl
 Sniff
 Sip
Sip Sniff
 Savor
 “See”
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 What to look for:

 Color
 Indicative of varietal
 Age

 Clarity
 Translucent

 Exception being unfiltered wines (i.e. Vintage Port)

 “Swirl”
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 Why “swirl” the wine?

 Allows for aeration
 Always hold glass by the stem
 Don’t spill it!
 Practice, Practice, Practice
 “Sniff”
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 Why Short Sniffs vs. Long Sniffs?

 Nose tires quickly

 Series of three quick sniffs

 Mental image: Dog sniffing food

 “Sip”
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 Slow sip
 Saturate taste buds
 Allows saliva to warm the liquid
 Purse your lips and inhale/exhale
 Allows for aeration of the wine in your mouth
 Also requires a bit of practice to master!
 “Savor”
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 Mouthfeel
 Balance
 Finish
 Retro nasal exhalation
 The longer the finish, the better the wine
 Conclusion
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 Basic wine knowledge

 Essential in order to evaluate wine

 Evaluation should be structured

 Organized and attention to detail imperative

 Anyone can learn!

 Practice makes perfect!
 Questions?
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 References
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Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery. (2008). Wine Balance: What does it mean? Retrieved April 4, 2009, from Cinnabar

Vineyards & Winery website: http://www.cinnabarwine.com/news2004-04.html

DrinkWine. (2009). DrinkWine: Wine Guide - Evaluating Wine. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from DrinkWine.com:

http://www.drinkwine.com/wine_guide/evaluating_wine.html

Flavor Wheel [Diagram]. (2006). Retrieved April 11, 2009, from:

     http://www.barmixmaster.com/archive/2006_11_01_barmixmaster_archive.html

MacNeil, K. (2001). The Wine Bible. New York: Workman Publishing Company.

Tilford Winery. (2009). The Five S's. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from Tilford Winery website: http://tilfordwinery.com/s.htm

Wine Institute. (2007). World Wine Production by Country. Retrieved April 11, 2009, from The Wine Institute website:

http://www.wineinstitute.org/resources/worldstatistics/article87.