Brief tasting manual

Through tasting we can use our senses to perceive, identify and appreciate certain of the organoleptic properties of wine.

Tasting is divided into four phases

1ª phase Visual

he first sense to intervene in a tasting is vision.  In this phase the taster will observe the colour and the physical appearance of the wine.

In general, luminous and brilliant shades belong to young wines.

In the case of white wines, more ochre and darker tones belong to vintage wines.

If the red wine is observed to be dark with a deep red or purplish rim, this is due to its youth; if the wine is lighter with a brick-red coloured rim, it is a sign of its age.

If it is observed to be thick and with drops on the sides of the glass, this will indicate to us a high degree of alcoholic content.

2ª phase Olfactory

The second sense to intervene in a tasting is the sense of smell.

The primary aromas (coming from the grape) are revealed with hints of flowers and fruits, they are light aromas and found more intensely in young wines.

When swirling the glass secondary aromas appear (wood, forest, dried leaves, yeast), they are denser and found at the bottom of the glass.  Finally the tertiary aromas come in (toast, vanilla, dried fruits, coffee…) and these aromas correspond with ageing in oak barrels.

3ª phase Taste

The third sense to intervene in a tasting is taste itself.  The tongue is the organ of taste.

Four elementary taste sensations can be detected:

• Sweet (on the tip of the tongue),
• Acid (on the sides at the top part),
• Savoury (on the edges of the lower part),
• Bitter (only on the top part).

To a greater or lesser degree, the four flavours are present in all wines.  Virtue lies in the balance of all of them and also the strength with which they stimulate our sense of taste.

Young wines tend to be more fruity and light, while vintage wines are longer and more persistent on the palate.

4ª Sensations and end note

When the wine warms up in the mouth the aromas can be increasingly appreciated, as the mouth and the nose are intimately linked.

Finally, it is swallowed and all the aromas and sensations will persist in the mouth to a greater or lesser degree after its ingestion.