1.1 Tasting And Evaluating Wine

Question 1

Describe the ideal conditions for tasting wine (4)

Answer 1

Odour free
Good natural light
White surface
Clean palate

Question 2

What is the main reason to look at the appearance of a wine (1)

Answer 2

To identify faults

Question 3

What shades do red wines come in? (4)

Answer 3

Purple, ruby, garnet or tawny

Question 4

What shades do rosé wines come in? (3)

Answer 4

Pink, salmon or orange

Question 5

What shades do white wines come in? (3)

Answer 5

Lemon, gold and amber

Question 6

How can we describe the intensity of a wine’s appearance? (3)

Answer 6

Pale, medium or deep

Question 7

What words should we use to describe the intensity of a wine’s nose? (3)

Answer 7

Light, medium or pronounced

Question 8

What words should we use to describe the sweetness of a wine? (4)

Answer 8

Dry, off dry, medium or sweet

Question 9

What should we look for in the appearance of a wine? (3)

Answer 9

Clarity
Intensity
Colour

Question 10

What should we look for in the nose of a wine? (3)

Answer 10

Condition
Intensity
Aroma characteristics

Question 11

What should we look for in the palate of a wine? (6)

Answer 11

Sweetness
Acidity
Tannin
Body
Flavour
Finish

Question 12

What is the primary reason to swirl a glass of wine? (1)

Answer 12

To intensify the aroma

Question 13

What will corked wine smell like? (1)

Answer 13

Damp cardboard or musty

Question 14

Which climates will cause higher acidity wines? (Hotter or cooler)

Answer 14

Cooler climates cause higher levels of acidity in wine

Question 15

Do sweet wines need more or less acid?

Answer 15

Sweet wines need high levels of acidity to stop them tasting oversweet or cloying (eg coke)

Question 16

High levels of tannins indicate what type of climate?

Answer 16

Hotter climate, as they develop a thicker skin to cope with the heat and tannins come from the skin

Question 17

Where in the mouth do we detect 1) tannins, 2) bitterness?

Answer 17

1) the gums

2) back of the tongue

Question 18

Where do we detect flavour characteristics on the palate?

Answer 18

At the back of the nose

Question 19

What do we consider when assessing the quality of the wine? (5)

Answer 19

Balance
Length (finish)
Intensity
Complexity
Expressiveness