Decoding the jargon in wine tasting

A reader wonders about the process I use to taste wines and what my numerical ratings really mean. It’s always a good question, especially for newcomers to the column.

First I look for clarity in the wine. Cloudy wines are generally seriously flawed. Fortunately, few murky wines make it through the LCBO quality assurance process.

When I swirl the wine I am checking for viscosity, eyeing the “legs” that dribble down the inside of the glass. The thicker and slower the legs, usually the higher the alcohol.

Colour is also inspected. In whites, yellow hues can signal the wine may be past its prime. It also can show higher amounts of oak aging. In reds, lighter hues signal weaker extract, or lack of full ripening. The major exception is pinot noirs, especially Old World, which tend to be lighter. Darkly hued, or inky reds usually signal full ripening and a degree of power and ability to age.

The aromas are the first element of seduction. They must instantly appeal to your senses. And they give a big hint as to what follows on your palate when you next swirl and swallow. Rarely is there a disconnect between aromas and flavours such that aromas are great but the flavours have something amiss. Or the reverse. Both realms must appeal. In flavours, I try to pick out the main elements as they emerge on my palate and note things such as licorice, or black cherry, cassis, etc. Then on a second taste, I look for underlying flavours (lavender, marjoram, etc.) that make the wine distinctive. How long the wine persists after swallowing is called the finish. Great wines have a lingering delivery that persists minutes later. Here is where you notice tannins, which relate to the skins, pips, stems of the grapes, as well as oak aging. Astringent or bitter wines often come from too much use of oak aging. Ideally, you want the fruit not to be buried by the oak, but to be in harmony. Tannins do mellow with age in cellar.

There’s also “mouth feel” and texture. Great wines can sometimes seem silky or velvety or super smooth to the palate. Poor wines are frequently coarse, or “chunky” or clumsy.

That’s the process. Wines rating below 70 are fatally flawed (think nail polish remover, rotten eggs, vinegar, sulphur and allied chemical problems). Wines in the 71-81 realm have minor off-putting elements.

Wines rating 82-85 are drinkable, but nothing to write home about. From 86-87 the wines show promise, if under $10. A rating of 88-89 shows flashes of excellence, and if under $15, excellent value. A rating of 90-91 is a superb wine, memorable for its luscious taste. A score of 92 or above moves us into heavenly realms and unforgettable in impact. stimmell@sympatico.ca