Deductive Tasting Method

The three senses

Sight, nose, palete

Sight: clarity/visibility and verbiage

Clarity and sediment (clear, hazy, turbid)

Sight: color (WHITE)

Lighter = younger, darker + brownish = older

Oxygen deepens the color

Sight: color (RED)

Depends on the varietal (more than whites), in part a decision by the WM

Lighter + brownish = older, darker = younger

Sight: color verbiage (WHITE)

(Primary) straw, yellow, gold, amber

(Secondary) silver, green, copper

Sight: color verbiage (RED)

(Primary) purple, ruby, garnet

(Secondary) ruby, garnet, orange, brown, blue

Sight: rim variation

Color difference from center to rim

The older the wine, the more variation

Sight: extraction and staining (+ rule)

The presence of color holding to the glass

Indicates warm climate, high pigmentation in the varietal, or a WM choice

None / light / medium / heavy

Only mention if present

Sight: tearing/legs

Created by high alcohol or residual sugar reacting with the oxygen

Light / medium / heavy

Nose: Trichloroanisole (TCA) / corkiness

Wet moldy cardboard or old newspaper

Caused by being tainted with TCA

Nose: oxidation

Muted or dried out smell

Poor storage or aged too long

Nose: volatile acidity (VA)

Vinegary smell

Refers to the presence of acetic acid, a WM error

Nose: ethyl acetate (EA)

Acetone or nail polish remover

Presence of ethanol and acetic acid

Nose: excess sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

Struck matchstick or wet wool

WM added too much

Nose: brettanomyces

Smoke/cloves/spice to band-aids/manure

Unwanted yeast growth

Nose: hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)

Onion, rubber, or rotten eggs

Inadequate yeast nutrition during fermentation

Nose: intensity and verbiage

Low (delicate) / moderate / high (powerful)

Nose: age verbiage

Youthful: young, bright, primary fresh fruit

Developing: beginning to show signs of aging. Vinous: signs of age and oxidation

Nose: fruit aromas (WHITE)

Citrus fruit: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, tangerine

Apple/pear: green, red, yellow

Stone/pit fruit: peach, nectarine, apricot

Tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, papaya, passion fruit

Melon: cantaloupe, honeydew

Nose: fruit aromas (RED)

Red fruit: cherry, raspberry, red plum, cranberry, strawberry, pomegranate

Black fruit: blackberry, black cherry, black plum, blackcurrant

Blue fruit: blueberry, boysenberry

Nose: fruit characteristics

Ripe, fresh, tart, baked, stewed/cooked, dried, desiccated, bruised, jammy/preserves

Nose: non-fruit (WHITE)

Floral: yellow (daisy), white (baby’s breath, jasmine, honeysuckle)

Vegetal: bell pepper, jalapeño

Herbal: freshly cut grass

Spices: white peppercorn

Other: barnyard, petrol, honey, ginger, saffron, and more

Nose: non-fruit (RED)

Floral: red (roses), purple (lilac, violet)

Vegetal: bell pepper, jalapeño

Herbal: oregano, sage, thyme

Spices: black peppercorn

Other: barnyard, petrol, honey, ginger, saffron, mushroom, smoke, tobacco, and more

Nose: earth

Forest floor, compost, mushroom/truffle, potting soil, fresh turned earth

Nose: mineral

Wet stone, limestone, chalk, slate, flint

Nose: wood/oak

Tends to have to do with the WM process

Cedar, toast, smoke, dried baking spices, vanilla, dill, coconut, sawdust

Nose: barrels

Size: large = less wine in contact and less “oaky” aromas, small = more contact with wine and more “oaky” aromas

Age: older = loss of potency (around the 4th-6th use the barrel becomes neutral), newer = the most flavors

Origin: french = vanilla bean, dried baking spice, cedar, and sawdust, american = caramel, vanilla extract, dill/dried hurbs, coconut, sawdust