Calendar of Events
January
Lesson 1: Tasting Stages
The results of the four recognized stages to wine tasting:
1. appearance,
2. "in glass" aroma of the wine,
3. "in mouth" sensations, and
4. "finish" (aftertaste)
are combined in order to establish the following properties of a wine:
- complexity and character
- potential (suitability for aging or drinking), and
- possible faults
A wine's overall quality assessment, based on this examination, follows further careful description and comparison with recognized standards, both with respect to other wines in its price range and according to known factors pertaining to the region or vintage; if it is typical of the region or diverges in style; if it uses certain wine-making techniques, such as barrel fermentation or malolactic fermentation, or any other remarkable or unusual characteristics.
Whereas wines are regularly tasted in isolation, a wine's quality assessment is more objective when performed alongside several other wines, in what are known as tasting "flights". Wines may be deliberately selected for their vintage ("horizontal" tasting) or proceed from a single winery ("vertical" tasting), to better compare vineyard and vintages, respectively. Alternatively, in order to promote an unbiased analysis, bottles and even glasses may be disguised in a "blind" tasting, to rule out any prejudicial awareness of either vintage or winery.
There are five basic steps in tasting wine:
1. color,
2. swirl,
3. smell,
4. taste, and
5. savor.
These are also known as the "five S" steps: see, swirl, sniff, sip, savor. During this process, a taster must look for clarity, varietal character, integration, expressiveness, complexity, and connectedness.
A wine's color is better judged by putting it against a white background. The wine glass is put at an angle in order to see the colors. Colors can give the taster clues to the grape variety, and whether the wine was aged in wood.
February
Lesson 2: The 100 Point Scoring System
The 100-point scoring system is simple to understand, but difficult to master.
Every wine gets 50 points automatically. The lowest score a wine can get, even if it is dreadfully flawed, is 50 points. An utter failure of a wine.
On top of this, you add points for each of 4 categories.
Once you've assigned all these points, add them together and add 50 points to come up to your total score, which you can enter at the bottom of the wine tasting scorecard.
Lesson 3: The Appearance
The color of wine should always be the first thing to consider before you even taste the wine. Look for clarity and the color itself, which should indicate the maturity of the wine.
As a general rule, most white wines taste best when younger or “fresh.” Accordingly, green-tinged or yellow-colored wines will usually be your best bets, while brown or amber hues are normally indications of problems. White wines will range in color from green-tinged to brown/amber as follows:
This Color… …Usually Reflects This Characteristic
Green-tinged Youth
Straw Majority of dry whites
Gold Sweeter, more luscious whites
Light-brown Wine may be in an “off” condition
Brown/amber Too old (excess oxidation)
Red wine consists of two dominant colors: red and yellow. Red comes from the pigmentation in the skins of purple grapes, while yellow comes from tannins in the skins, stems, pits and oak aging barrels. As red wines age, the red tones diminish, while the yellows increase. Visually, this results in the wine gradually becoming more red-orange, or “browner.” As a general rule, unlike white wines, most red wines taste better with age. Consequently, reddish-brown tones are usually indicative of a better tasting mature wine than those with, say, purple or ruby tones.
This Color… …Usually Reflects This Characteristic
Purple Youth
Ruby-red Some aging
Red Several years of aging
Red-brown Maturity
Mahogany Considerable age (or improperly stored young wine)
April
Lesson 4: The Nose
May
Lesson 5: Wine Flavors
June
Lesson 6: The Mouth
July
Lesson 7: Grape Varieties
August
Lesson 8: Wine Labels
September
Lesson 9: Wine Accessories
October
Lesson 10: Serving Temperature
November
Lesson 11: Pairing Food and Wine
December
Lesson 12: Top Rated Wine
Lesson 1: Tasting Stages
The results of the four recognized stages to wine tasting:
1. appearance,
2. "in glass" aroma of the wine,
3. "in mouth" sensations, and
4. "finish" (aftertaste)
are combined in order to establish the following properties of a wine:
- complexity and character
- potential (suitability for aging or drinking), and
- possible faults
A wine's overall quality assessment, based on this examination, follows further careful description and comparison with recognized standards, both with respect to other wines in its price range and according to known factors pertaining to the region or vintage; if it is typical of the region or diverges in style; if it uses certain wine-making techniques, such as barrel fermentation or malolactic fermentation, or any other remarkable or unusual characteristics.
Whereas wines are regularly tasted in isolation, a wine's quality assessment is more objective when performed alongside several other wines, in what are known as tasting "flights". Wines may be deliberately selected for their vintage ("horizontal" tasting) or proceed from a single winery ("vertical" tasting), to better compare vineyard and vintages, respectively. Alternatively, in order to promote an unbiased analysis, bottles and even glasses may be disguised in a "blind" tasting, to rule out any prejudicial awareness of either vintage or winery.
There are five basic steps in tasting wine:
1. color,
2. swirl,
3. smell,
4. taste, and
5. savor.
These are also known as the "five S" steps: see, swirl, sniff, sip, savor. During this process, a taster must look for clarity, varietal character, integration, expressiveness, complexity, and connectedness.
A wine's color is better judged by putting it against a white background. The wine glass is put at an angle in order to see the colors. Colors can give the taster clues to the grape variety, and whether the wine was aged in wood.
February
Lesson 2: The 100 Point Scoring System
The 100-point scoring system is simple to understand, but difficult to master.
Every wine gets 50 points automatically. The lowest score a wine can get, even if it is dreadfully flawed, is 50 points. An utter failure of a wine.
On top of this, you add points for each of 4 categories.
- The first is up to 5 points for color and appearance. Does the wine have a pleasant color, is it clear and pretty or murky and unappealing?
- The next gives up to 15 points for the nose, the wines aroma.
- After taking a sip, you assign up to 20 points for the mouth, including the flavors, texture, body and so on
- Finally, at the end you can add up to 10 points more for the finish and the overall impression, the gestalt if you will. Does the wine leave a pleasing finish in your mouth after you swallow it, enticing you to take another sip? How is the balance and the overall impact of the wine, does it have personality and class or did it leave you short?
Once you've assigned all these points, add them together and add 50 points to come up to your total score, which you can enter at the bottom of the wine tasting scorecard.
- Generally, 90 points and above mean the wine is outstanding, with the most exceptional, mind-blowing wines in the upper part of that range.
- Wines that are 80-89 are still good wines though, just not as profound.
- Generally those below 80 are considered either very mediocre or even flawed and do not generally deserve much attention.
- A 70-some score by Robert Parker is practically a death sentence in the marketplace for most wines!
Lesson 3: The Appearance
The color of wine should always be the first thing to consider before you even taste the wine. Look for clarity and the color itself, which should indicate the maturity of the wine.
- Type of Wine
- Depth/Opacity
- Hue
- Clarity
- Viscosity or "Legs"
As a general rule, most white wines taste best when younger or “fresh.” Accordingly, green-tinged or yellow-colored wines will usually be your best bets, while brown or amber hues are normally indications of problems. White wines will range in color from green-tinged to brown/amber as follows:
This Color… …Usually Reflects This Characteristic
Green-tinged Youth
Straw Majority of dry whites
Gold Sweeter, more luscious whites
Light-brown Wine may be in an “off” condition
Brown/amber Too old (excess oxidation)
Red wine consists of two dominant colors: red and yellow. Red comes from the pigmentation in the skins of purple grapes, while yellow comes from tannins in the skins, stems, pits and oak aging barrels. As red wines age, the red tones diminish, while the yellows increase. Visually, this results in the wine gradually becoming more red-orange, or “browner.” As a general rule, unlike white wines, most red wines taste better with age. Consequently, reddish-brown tones are usually indicative of a better tasting mature wine than those with, say, purple or ruby tones.
This Color… …Usually Reflects This Characteristic
Purple Youth
Ruby-red Some aging
Red Several years of aging
Red-brown Maturity
Mahogany Considerable age (or improperly stored young wine)
April
Lesson 4: The Nose
May
Lesson 5: Wine Flavors
June
Lesson 6: The Mouth
July
Lesson 7: Grape Varieties
August
Lesson 8: Wine Labels
September
Lesson 9: Wine Accessories
October
Lesson 10: Serving Temperature
November
Lesson 11: Pairing Food and Wine
December
Lesson 12: Top Rated Wine