How to Read Wine Tasting Notes

One of the many beauties of wine is that the same bottle will taste different to everyone. Our sense of taste and smell is tightly linked to the experiences we’ve had through life and the reference points we’ve developed for flavours along the way.

This makes wine tasting a very intimate and personal experience which can be truly savoured. Learning to read wine tasting notes can help us to unlock the full potential of our palate and find a wine that truly speaks to us; a wine that possesses our favourite aromas, colours, and textures.

1. Aroma

The nose and mouth are closely linked and both have just as much of an impact as each other on the way we taste wine. The scent of a wine is usually the first thing we detect, before we have even tasted it, and this will greatly influence the way we perceive the wine’s flavour. This can range from vanilla, nuttiness, and woody scents in lighter-coloured wines to floral, honeyed, and fruity scents in rosés and darker wines.

2. Flavour

The flavour of a wine is usually the second thing we notice. We will immediately notice whether the wine tastes dry or sweet depending on how much sugar we can taste and whether the wine tastes tangy or crisp, depending on the wine’s acidity levels. The presence of or lack of tannins in a wine can affect its bitterness and add to its complexity and savoury notes, known as umami, which can also contribute to a wine’s overall flavour.

3. Texture

Also known as the mouthfeel, the texture of wine can vary dramatically. From smoothness to astringency, the way wine feels in the mouth will differ based on the level of tannins used in the wine. Red wines are typically more tannic than white wines, with rosé wines such as Aphrodise being a perfect, creamy, refreshing middle ground.

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