Tastes in wine vary greatly not only from the perceptions of taste but also depends where the wine was made. Anyone can drink and enjoy a glass of wine, but tasting wine is an art. A mass production from Italy or Chille may not beat a taste of a family made quality http://www.hungarianwines.co.uk/. This makes it very difficult to adequately explain and convey the taste, style and appeal of a wine.
On the 'palate' (detecting the wine in the mouth), however, other elements come into play. Much more vital are the nasal chemoreceptors that are involved in smell. Aromas from the wine in the mouth pervade the upper airways, and it is sensations from the nasal receptors that we use to 'taste' the wine. Use your nose to breath as you distinguish wine flavors in the mouth, and if you feel like it, slurp some air in through the mouth over the wine. Take extra care to the way the wine changes as you hold it in the mouth. First impressions on taking the wine into the mouth may be referred to as the forepalate, followed by the mid and endpalate, leading up to the finish.
However it remains hard to describe and analyse the taste of fine and rare wines, the recommended way is to look at the balance between these four principles: acidity, fruit, alcohol, and in the case of red wines, tannins.
Acidity:
Often referred to as the spine of wine, especially white wines, acidity can be altered by the grape variety and the climate. Affecting a wine's style considerably, acidity is far less perceptible in red wines, but it must be there for the wine to age. Furthermore it is important that acidity be well integrated to make sure it doesn't clash with the tannins in a red wine.
Fruit:
Don't make the mistake of comparing fruit with sweetness, as exotic fruity flavoured wines can still be dry as a result of the conversion of sugar into alcohol during fermentation.
Tannins:
The tannins produced in the skin of red grapes and in oak barrels can also give wines a mouth-drying quality.
Alcohol:
If the alcohol brings a touch of oiliness, provides viscosity and gives roundness on the palate you may well have an optimal balanced wine. Sweet dessert wines like http://www.hungarianwines.co.uk/tokaji-aszu-5puttonyos-tokay-hungary have an alcohol content of only 2-6percent.
Colour:
Having got the mechanics of holding the wine glass right, your next step in distinguish wine flavors in the mouth is to study the of the wine as well as its clarity, and though you may be conversant with wines that are only red, white and pink inbloom, be sure to know that there are many different colors as well.
Looking at the colour a red wine could be the last step, as this will give a clue as to the age of the wine. Many red wines start life as a deep purple colour, sometimes almost opaque. After years, however, the wines lose this youthful intensity, and begin to take on a paler, tawny, brick red hue. The bloom of a red wine may give a clue not only to the age of the wine. . Pinot Noir tends to be able, for instance, whereas many other red grapes, particularly in their youth, would be expected to be an inky purple-black.
Lets identify how to taste flavours: Simply take four glasses filled with still water, then squeeze lemon into one, stir a spoonful of sugar into another, dip a teabag into the third, and pour a measure of neat white spirit, such as bacardi into the fourth. My advice is to try http://www.hungarianwines.co.uk/ the next time.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wine Tasting Ideas
