Deductive Tasting

Question 1

Deductive Tasting - The five criteria of deductive tasting

Answer 1

• Sight
• Nose
• Palate
• Initial Conclusion
• Final Conclusion

Question 2

Deductive Tasting - Sight - Sediment

Answer 2

• Sediments in red wine = color pigment and tannin
• primary reason to decant aged red wines
• can be found in young unfiltered red wines
• Sediments in white wine = tartaric acid crystals (safe to consume).
• Tartrates are often removed by filtration and cold stabilization.

Question 3

Deductive Tasting - Sight - Concentration of Color

Answer 3

• White wines
• Young white wines are light and bright in color
• Deepen in color with age, turning gold, amber, and brown
• Red wines
• Lighten in color as they age, they often appear dull and have a tendency to brown

Question 4

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Trichloroanisole (“TCA”)

Answer 4

• AKA Corkiness
• Smell like wet, moldy cardboard or musty old newspaper
• Caused by corks, barrels, or an entire winery that has been tainted with the TCA compound

Question 5

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Oxidation

Answer 5

• Oxidized wines have more muted and dried-out aromas than fruit scents (can be bitter flavors)
• Caused by age or poor storage conditions

Question 6

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Volatile Acidity (“VA”)

Answer 6

• Presence of acetic acid giving a wine vinegary aromas

* Caused when the bacteria acetobacter (or certain wild yeasts) and oxygen are present during the fermentation process

Question 7

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Ethyl Acetate (“EA”)

Answer 7

• Distinct aroma of acetone or nail-polish remover

* EA forms from the reaction of ethanol and acetic acid.

Question 8

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Excess Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Answer 8

• Too much, caused matchstick or wet wool smell

* SO2 commonly used during the winemaking process.

Question 9

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Brettanomyces

Answer 9

*This is a yeast growth that gives a wine aromas ranging from smoke, cloves, and spice to band-aids and manure

Question 10

Deductive Tasting - Clean or Faulty - Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

Answer 10

• Unpleasant aromas of onion, rubber or rotten eggs

* Consequence of inadequate yeast nutrition during fermentation

Question 11

Deductive Tasting - Nose - White wine fruit aromas

Answer 11

• Citrus: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, tangerine
• Apple / Pear: green, red, or yellow apples, pears
• Stone / Pit Fruit: Peach, nectarine, apricot
• Tropical Fruit: Pineapple, mango, papaya, passion fruit
• Melon: Cantaloupe, honeydew

Question 12

Deductive Tasting - Nose - Red wine fruit aromas

Answer 12

• Red Fruits: Cherry, raspberry, red plum, cranberry, strawberry, pomegranate
• Black Fruits: Blackberry, back cherry, black plum, blackcurrant
• Blue Fruits: Blueberry, boysenberry

Question 13

Deductive Tasting - Nose - Fruit Character

Answer 13

• Ripe
• Fresh
• Tart
• Baked
• Stewed / Cooked
• Dried
• Desiccated
• Bruised
• Jammy / Preserves

Question 14

Deductive Tasting - Nose - Non Fruit Character

Answer 14

• Floral Aromas
• White Wine: Yellow (daisy), white (baby’s breath, jasmine, honeysuckle)
• Red Wine: Red (roses), purple (lilac, violet)
• Other Descriptors: Fresh, dried
• Vegetal Aromas
• White Wine: Bell pepper, jalapeno pepper
• Red Wine: Bell pepper, jalapeno pepper
• Herbal or Green Aromas
• White Wine: Freshly cut grass
• Red Wine: Oregano, sage, thyme
• Spices
• White Wine: White peppercorn
• Red Wine: Black peppercorn
• Animal or Barnyard
• Petrol: Fuel, gasoline
• Fermentation: Malolactic fermentation, carbonic maceration, lees contact
• Botrytis: Honew, ginger, saffron, mushroom
• Leather, Tobacco, etc

Question 15

Deductive Tasting - Nose - Earth and Mineral Character

Answer 15

• Earth: forest floor, Compost, Mushroom/truffle, Potting soil, Fresh turned earth
• Mineral: Wet Stone, Limestone, Chalk, Slate, Flint

Question 16

Deductive Tasting - Nose - Wood/Oak

Answer 16

Cedar, Toast, Smoke, Vanilla, Dill, Coconut, Sawdust, Dried baking spices (cinnamon, clove, allspice, nutmeg)

Question 17

Deductive Tasting - Large Barrel vs Small Barrel (Barrique)

Answer 17

• Large Barrel: less wine is i contact with the barrel therefore little oaky flavor is imparted. However, older barrels that are no longer imparting wood-based aromas or flavors can continue to contribute oxidative notes and textural effects to the wine.
• Small Barrel: More wine is in contact with the barrel itself imparting more wood based aromas and flavors

Question 18

Deductive Tasting - Older Oak vs New Oak

Answer 18

• Older Oak: Oak barrels lose the potency of flavor impact appreciably after each use. After the 4th-6th year, the barrel is essentially deemed neutral but still has an impact with oxidative notes and textural effects to the wine
• New Oak: New oak barrels (or “first-use” barrels) will impart the most pungent flavors to a wine such as (Toast, Smoke, Baking spices, Vanilla)

Question 19

Deductive Tasting - French Oak vs American Oak

Answer 19

• French Oak: Tends to be more subtle in aroma and flavor with notes of (Vanilla bean, Dried baking spices, Cedar, Sawdust)
• American Oak: Tends to be stronger in aroma and flavor with notes of (Caramel, Vanilla extract, Dill/dried herbs, Coconut, Sawdust)

Question 20

Deductive Tasting - Palate

Answer 20

• Sweetness/Dryness
• Phenolic Bitterness (White wine)
• Tannin (Red wine)
• Acidity
• Alcohol
• Body
• Texture
• Balance
• Length/Finish
• Complexity

Question 21

Deductive Tasting - Theoretical- Old World (Potential Reasons)

Answer 21

• Dominance of earth and/or mineral character
• Dominance of non-fruit aromas and flavors
• The fruit is restrained compared to non-fruit and earth aromas and flavors
• The fruit becomes tart on the palate
• Non-fruit aromas and flavors become more apparent in the finish

Question 22

Deductive Tasting - Theoretical- New World (Potential Reasons)

Answer 22

• There is no dominant earth or mineral character
• Fruit aromas and flavors lead and dominate the non-fruit elements
• The fruit smells sweet and ripe, thus dominating the nose
• The fruit stays ripe or gets riper on the palate

Question 23

Deductive Tasting - Theoretical- Cool Climate (Potential Reasons)

Answer 23

• Acidity is elevated for the grape variety
• Alcohol is more restrained
• The fruit smells and tastes somewhat tart
• The wine feels linear on the palate

Question 24

Deductive Tasting - Theoretical- Warm Climate (Potential Reasons)

Answer 24

• The acidity is restrained for the grape variety
• Alcohol is elevated
• The fruit seems ripe, maybe even jammy
• The wine feels round and lush on the palate

Question 25

Deductive Tasting - Tannin in wine...

Answer 25

*Dries the palate out

Question 26

Deductive Tasting - Acidity in wine...

Answer 26

*Creates a mouth-watering sensation

Question 27

Deductive Tasting - Sweetness in wine is due to...

Answer 27

*The presence of sugar in the wine

Question 28

Deductive Tasting - TCA or Tricholoranisol in wine is due to...

Answer 28

*The cork being infected with the TCA compound

Question 29

Deductive Tasting - A wine would be hazy or cloudy due to...

Answer 29

*Sediment in the wine