The Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine

Setting Up to Taste

Good tasting conditions matter more than people think. You want good natural light and an odour-free room, a spittoon, and a clean palate. Drink water first: dry nose receptors lose sensitivity, so a dehydrated taster misses aromas and under-reads acidity. Use an ISO-type glass (rounded bowl, sides sloping inward) that is odourless and free of detergent or residue, and pour a consistent amount each time, about 5 cL, so your read on intensity and colour is comparable from wine to wine.

Clarity

Is the wine clear or hazy? This is a two-point call, and almost every wine you meet will be clear. Haze can point to a fault, or to a wine deliberately left unfined and unfiltered, but deliberately hazy wines are not used in the Level 3 exam. If your exam wine is hazy, treat it as a warning sign and check the nose carefully.

Intensity

How deep or pale is the colour? The SAT scale runs: pale → medium → deep. Note that this is a three-point scale, not the five-point scale used elsewhere on the grid. There is no medium(−) or medium(+) for appearance intensity. To judge this, look through the core of the wine at the deepest point in the glass. A Pinot Noir will typically be pale to medium; a young Syrah will often be deep. Colour intensity can tell you about grape variety, age, and winemaking, for example, a thicker-skinned grape or longer maceration produces deeper colour.

Colour

Use the correct term from the SAT grid for the wine type:

White wines: lemon-green → lemon → gold → amber → brown

Rosé wines: pink → salmon → orange

Red wines: purple → ruby → garnet → tawny → brown

The cut-offs for reds: garnet still has more red than brown in it, tawny has more brown than red, and brown has no red left at all. Orange rosé is rare.

Colour tells you about age: white wines get darker with age (lemon moves toward gold and amber), while red wines get lighter (purple moves toward garnet and tawny). A young white Burgundy will be lemon; an aged Sauternes might be gold or amber. A young Cabernet Sauvignon will be purple or ruby; a 20-year-old Rioja might be garnet or tawny. Pick one term, not a pair.

Other Observations

The grid gives you an “e.g.” line for anything else you see. Legs or tears run thicker and slower when there is sugar or high alcohol. A deposit usually means the wine was not fined or filtered. Pétillance, a faint prickle in a still wine, is either a fault or a deliberate touch of freshness. Bubbles in a sparkling wine are worth noting, but their size and persistence are not a reliable guide to quality. Comment only when there is something to say.

Condition

Is the wine clean or faulty? This is a pass/fail question you answer before anything else. If the wine smells of wet cardboard, mouldy newspaper, or damp basement, it may have cork taint (TCA). If it smells flat and stale like a bruised apple, it may be oxidised. If it smells of struck match, rotten eggs, or burnt rubber, it may be showing reduction. We’ll cover faults in detail below.

Most wines you taste will be clean. Faults are not assessed in the Level 3 tasting exam: the grid gives you only a clean / unclean (faulty?) tick, and that is as far as you need to go. Learn the faults below for the theory paper and for real life, where recognising a corked bottle matters.

Intensity

How powerful are the aromas? Use the scale: light → medium(−) → medium → medium(+) → pronounced. A Muscadet might be light to medium(−); a Gewürztraminer will often be pronounced. This is about how strongly the aromas hit your nose, not about whether they’re good or bad.

Aroma Characteristics

This is where you list what you actually smell. Be specific: don’t write “fruity” when you can write “ripe peach, apricot, lemon zest.” The SAT expects you to identify aromas and categorise them as primary, secondary, or tertiary (see the next section). The WSET Wine-Lexicon groups descriptors into clusters (floral, green fruit, citrus fruit, stone fruit, tropical fruit, red fruit, black fruit, dried or cooked fruit, herbaceous, herbal, pungent spice, and so on). You don’t need to memorise it, and examiners accept any accurate descriptor, but it is the fastest way to build a working vocabulary. Aim for at least 5–7 descriptors on the nose.

Development

Where is this wine in its life cycle? The four options are:

Youthful: Dominated by fresh, primary fruit aromas. No signs of age.

Developing: A mix of primary fruit and secondary/tertiary characteristics. The wine is evolving.

Fully developed: Tertiary aromas now predominate and the primary fruit has faded well into the background. This describes which aromas lead, not whether the wine is “at its peak”, and few wines hold at this stage for long.

Tired / past its best: The wine has gone beyond its peak. Fruit has dried out or disappeared and what is left is hollow or dull. This is not the same as a fault: the wine is not spoiled, it has simply been kept too long.

Not every wine develops. The stage is set by which aroma type predominates, and most rosés, cheap whites and many cheap reds go straight from youthful to tired within months. Useful release-stage examples: a red Rioja Reserva is usually “developing” when it goes on sale; an age-indicated Tawny Port and every Sherry are “fully developed” on release.

Primary Aromas, From the Grape and Fermentation

These are the aromas of the grape and of alcoholic fermentation: the fruit, floral and herbal notes that come from the variety and the conditions it was grown in, plus some fermentation-derived aromas (the pear-drop note in a young white, for example). They are the most prominent in young wines.

White examples: lemon, lime, green apple, grapefruit, peach, apricot, melon, lychee, elderflower, blossom

Red examples: red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, black cherry, violet, green bell pepper

Climate link: Cooler climates tend to produce citrus and green fruit aromas (lemon, green apple). Warmer climates produce riper stone fruit and tropical aromas (peach, mango). Very warm climates can produce dried or cooked fruit aromas (fig, prune).

Secondary Aromas, From Winemaking

These come from post-fermentation winemaking: yeast and lees work, malolactic conversion, and oak. They layer on top of the primary aromas.

From yeast (lees, autolysis): biscuit, bread, toast, pastry, brioche, bread dough, cheese (think Champagne and other traditional-method sparkling wines, or Muscadet sur lie)

From malolactic conversion: butter, cream, cheese (common in oaked Chardonnay)

From oak: vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, coconut, butterscotch, toast, cedar, charred wood, smoke, chocolate, coffee, resinous

Tertiary Aromas, From Ageing

These come from maturation and arrive by two routes. Oxidative ageing (a long time in oak, in contact with some air) gives coffee, toffee, caramel and nutty notes. Protected ageing (time in bottle, away from air) gives petrol, honey, mushroom, leather and earth. Along the way the fruit turns dried or cooked, but be careful: dried or cooked fruit can also be primary, in hot-climate wines or wines made from dried grapes. Tertiary aromas signal that a wine is developing or fully developed.

White wine tertiary: honey, marmalade, toast, petrol/kerosene (especially Riesling), dried apricot, ginger, mushroom

Red wine tertiary: leather, earth, mushroom, forest floor, tobacco, dried fruit, game, meat, truffle, wet leaves

Oxidative ageing (deliberate): caramel, toffee, almond, walnut (found in Sherry, Tawny Port, Vin Jaune)

Sweetness

The first thing you perceive. The scale has six points: dry, off-dry, medium-dry, medium-sweet, sweet and luscious. Luscious is the top: sticky, viscous wines such as Rutherglen Muscat or PX Sherry. You detect sweetness on the tip of your tongue. Most still table wines are dry, though plenty of wines sold as “dry” (some Alsace Gewürztraminer, Brut Champagne, many cheap commercial wines) are really off-dry. Don’t confuse ripe fruit flavour with actual sweetness, a wine can taste “fruity” while being bone dry. True sweetness means residual sugar is present. Sweetness takes no (−) or (+) steps.

Watch out: High alcohol can create a perception of sweetness (a slightly viscous, warm sensation) even when the wine is technically dry. High acidity can mask sweetness, making a wine with 10 g/L residual sugar taste drier than it is.

Acidity

Does your mouth water? Does the wine feel fresh, crisp, sharp, or tart? That’s acidity. The scale is: low → medium(−) → medium → medium(+) → high. You feel acidity on the sides and underneath your tongue, and it triggers salivation.

The acids are mainly tartaric and malic, plus lactic after malolactic conversion. Acidity has no smell (unlike volatile acidity), so judge it by how much and how long your mouth waters. If you are dehydrated you water less, which is one more reason to drink water before tasting. Sweetness and acidity mask each other, and the burn of alcohol is easy to mistake for acidity.

Acidity is central to wine balance and ageing. A wine with too little acidity will taste flat and flabby; one with too much may taste sour and aggressive. Cool-climate wines typically have higher acidity than warm-climate wines.

Tannin (Red Wines Only)

Tannin creates a drying, gripping sensation on your gums, tongue, and the inside of your cheeks. It comes from grape skins, seeds, and stems, as well as from oak barrels. The scale is: low → medium(−) → medium → medium(+) → high.

Tannin can also taste bitter at the back of the mouth. Level and texture are two different questions. Unripe tannin is aggressively astringent; ripe tannin reads as texture. So a thin, basic Pinot Noir can feel harsh and still be only medium in tannin, while a velvety hot-climate Shiraz can be high. A useful check: astringent plus thin body usually points to low tannin, not high. Describe the texture too (fine-grained and silky, or coarse and drying), but don’t let texture decide the level. Tannin is not commented on for white wines.

Alcohol

You feel alcohol as warmth or heat in the back of your throat and chest. The scale is: low → medium → high, three points only. There is no medium(−) or medium(+) for alcohol. For still wines, low is below 11% ABV, medium is 11–13.9%, and high is 14% and above. Fortified wines use the same three words with their own bands: low 15–16.4%, medium 16.5–18.4%, high 18.5% and above.

Common mistake: Don’t confuse alcohol warmth with acidity. Alcohol is felt in the throat and creates warmth. Acidity is felt on the sides of the tongue and creates salivation. They’re different sensations in different places.

Body

Body is the overall weight and texture of the wine in your mouth, think of the difference between skimmed milk (light body), whole milk (medium body), and single cream (full body). Alcohol is the main driver of body. Sugar adds weight, tannin usually adds weight, and high acidity makes a wine feel lighter. The hard cases (sweet, high-acid, low-alcohol wines) come down to which factor dominates. The scale is: light → medium(−) → medium → medium(+) → full.

Mousse (Sparkling Wines Only)

A line used only for sparkling wine, with three options: delicate (a soft, gentle fizz), creamy (smooth and rounded in the mouth) or aggressive (a harsh, frothy rush of bubbles). No (−) or (+) steps. For still wines, leave it blank.

Flavour Intensity

How powerful are the flavours? This mirrors the aroma intensity scale: light → medium(−) → medium → medium(+) → pronounced. A wine can have pronounced aroma intensity but only medium flavour intensity (or vice versa), they’re assessed independently.

Flavour Characteristics

List the flavours you taste on the palate. The palate should largely line up with the nose, but it is not a copy. Earthy, spicy and toasty notes often show more clearly on the palate, while fruit and floral notes can seem weaker there. Note what changes. Use the same primary/secondary/tertiary framework.

Finish (Length)

How long do the flavours persist after you spit or swallow? The scale is: short → medium(−) → medium → medium(+) → long. Only count pleasant persistence: a long bitter aftertaste still counts as a short finish. A basic wine fades in a few seconds; a very fine one can go on for a minute or more. Finish length is one of the strongest indicators of quality, great wines almost always have a long finish.

Balance

Are the structural components (acidity, tannin, alcohol, sweetness) in harmony with each other and with the fruit? A balanced wine has no single element that sticks out or dominates. An unbalanced wine might have searing acidity that overwhelms the fruit, or high alcohol that creates a hot, harsh finish. Balance is the single most important quality indicator.

Length

As described in the palate section, how long do the flavours persist? Great wines leave a lasting impression. Mediocre wines vanish quickly. Length is closely tied to concentration and complexity.

Intensity

How concentrated and expressive are the aromas and flavours? A wine with pronounced, clearly defined character is more likely to be high quality than one with vague, dilute flavours. But intensity alone isn’t enough, it must come with balance.

Complexity

Does the wine show multiple layers of aromas and flavours? Does it change and evolve in the glass? A simple wine might offer one or two flavour notes. A complex wine reveals a whole spectrum, primary, secondary, and tertiary aromas interweaving, shifting as the wine opens up. Complexity makes you want to keep coming back to the glass.

Cork Taint (TCA)

What causes it: A chemical compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), which can form in natural cork. It contaminates the wine on contact.

What it smells like: Wet cardboard, mouldy newspaper, damp basement, musty cellar. At low levels, it simply mutes the fruit, the wine smells flat and lifeless rather than overtly unpleasant.

How common: A small and declining proportion of wines sealed with natural cork. There is no standard percentage to learn. It is still the fault you are most likely to meet.

Can it be fixed? No. Once a wine is corked, it’s corked. At a restaurant, you should send it back.

Oxidation

What causes it: Excessive exposure to oxygen, either during winemaking (accidental) or in bottle (through a faulty closure or extended ageing).

What it looks, smells and tastes like: The colour is deeper and browner than it should be for the wine’s age. In white wines: bruised apple, toffee, honey, caramel, coffee, flat and stale. In red wines: prune-like, dried-out, brownish rim. The wine loses its freshness and fruit character.

Important distinction: Deliberate oxidative ageing (as in Sherry, Tawny Port, or Vin Jaune) is a style choice, not a fault. The fault is unwanted oxidation in a wine that’s supposed to be fresh.

Reduction

What causes it: A lack of oxygen during winemaking, particularly fermentation. Sulfur compounds build up when there isn’t enough oxygen to dissipate them.

What it smells like: Struck match, rotten eggs, burnt rubber, cooked cabbage. At mild levels, it might just smell slightly “funky” or closed, and at very low levels some tasters find it adds a pleasant savoury edge.

Can it be fixed? Sometimes. Mild reduction often blows off with swirling or decanting. If the smell persists after vigorous aeration, it’s a genuine fault. If it dissipates, some tasters consider it a winemaking choice (especially in natural wines).

Volatile Acidity (VA)

What causes it: Acetic acid bacteria converting alcohol to acetic acid (vinegar). Small amounts are normal and can even add lift. Excessive VA is a fault.

What it smells like: Vinegar, nail polish remover (ethyl acetate). At low levels, it gives a sharp, pickled edge to the aromas.

Brettanomyces (Brett)

What causes it: A wild yeast (Brettanomyces) that can grow in barrels and contaminate wine during ageing.

What it smells like: Barnyard, horse stable, plastic, sticking plaster (Band-Aid), medicinal, smoked meat, leather, sweaty saddle. At low levels, some people find it adds complexity (controversial). At high levels, it dominates the wine and is universally considered a fault.

Sulfur Dioxide (Excess SO₂)

What causes it: Too much of the sulfur dioxide added during winemaking as a preservative.

What it smells like: An acrid, burnt-match smell that masks the fruit. Unlike the struck-match note of reduction, this is sharp and catches in the nose and throat.

Out of Condition

What causes it: A wine that is simply too old, or that has been badly stored (heat, light, standing upright with a dried-out cork).

What it smells and tastes like: Dull and stale, with the fruit gone flat. There is no single tell-tale aroma; the wine just tastes tired and lifeless for what it should be.