Taste Training MAXENCE ARIZA, CWE 303-6691206 MARIZA@JWU.EDU

SUMMARY Tastes. Flavors. Sensations. CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS IN WINE. FAULTS IN WINE. TASTING GRID.

WHAT YOU TASTE The picture of the tongue shows the areas where different types of taste are detected. Green represents the area where sweet taste is interpreted. Blue interprets salty tastes. Red detects sour tastes and yellow picks out the bitter tastes.

Chemical Compounds in Wine Paratolymethyl ketone: recently disgorged Sparkling(Acacia) Damascone, diacetyl geraniol, irone, nerol, or phenylethylic acid: associated with rose petal 4-decanolide: loire and german whites(Apricot) Cyanhydrin benzaldehyde: red cherry in cool climate Pinot Noir, black cherries for great Cab and Syrah Malic acid:green apple in whites. Amyl acetate, or isoamyl aceteate: found in white and red made by carbonic maceration a.k.a “banana oil” or “pear oil”. Ethyl acetate, ethyl formate: blackcurrent, raspberry, strawberry Ethyl caprylate, ehtyl heptanoate, and ethyl perargonate: grape in Muscat or inexpensive German.

Chemical Compounds in Wine Linalool, citronellal, limonene: grapefruit in Alsace Gewurztraminer, Scheurebe( Silvaner, Riesling) Huxelrebe( Gutedel, Courtillier Musqué), Lemon, Lime Australian Semillon and Riesling, Melon in cool fermented New Wolrd Chardonnay, Orange in Muscat and fortified wines. Piperonal or undecalactone: Peach found in ripe Riesling,Sauvignon blanc, Viognier, Sezannais Champagne, New World Chardonnay, and botrytized wines. Ethyl caprylate: Pineapple very ripe Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and NW Semillon, and most botrytized.

Chemical Compounds in Wine Isobutyl, or Segbutyl: Asparagus, or can peas in Sauvignon Blanc, Bell Pepper in Cab Franc or Cab Sauvignon . Geosmin: Beetroot in Pinot Noir aged too long or Cab Franc, potato peelings maybe corked or infected staves. Methylmercaptan: Cabbage or Cauliflower in Chardonnay or Pinot family.Unfiltered Burgundy farmyardy. Methoxy-pyrazine or Hexanedianol: cut grass in early picked Sauvignon Blanc. Linalool oxides: hay in sparkling wines oxidized prior to second fermentation. Ethylmercaptan: Garlic or onion in faulty wines ethyl alcohol reacts with Hydrogen sulphide. Cinnamic Aldehyde: Cinnamon fine Red Rhones and oak aged borytized whites. Eugenol or Eugenic Acid: Clove in new oak aged barriques.

SENTATIONS HOT COLD SPICY FAT/OILY WEIGHT ASTRINGENCY

Major Faults T.C.A: corked. Oxidized: smell flat, acetaldehyde (fino). Rotten eggs/ rubber: Hydrogen sulphide, red wine in hot climate without enough oxygen. Geranium: degradation of sorbic acid. Volatile Acid (V.A): nail polish. Mycoderma yeast: cloudy wine. Acetic Acid: vinegar. Brettanomyces (Brett): mousy, horsy smell, yeast, metallic, sensitive to sulphur dioxide. Maderized: heat damage. Carbon dioxide: gassy and cloudy , refermenting.

Major White Varietals Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand Very Pale straw with green and silver highlights Intense grapefruit and lime citrus, gooseberry, grass, and green herb. Also tropical notes. Some have a touch of minerality while others are pungently herbal, even vegetal. Light to medium bodied with emphasis on mouthwatering, juicy citrus fruit. Dry, tart, and racy with very crisp acidity. No Oak. Sancerre Pale to medium straw with green highlights. Grapefruit-lemon citrus, chalky mineral, little or no wood typical for Sancerre. New wood sometimes used in Pouilly-Fume. Light to medium-bodied and very dry to bone dry. Tart citrus fruit, chalky minerality and very crisp acidity on the finish. Little or no Oak presence for Sancerre with wood used more often for Pouilly-Fume. Chardonnay New World (Cool Climate Wines) Tart malic green apple/pear, tropical fruit, and pronounced citrus flavors. Lean and racy on the palate. Barrel-fermentation and lees contact impart flavors of cream and yeast. Oak-aging imparts flavors of Vanilla, baking spices, and wood. Dry to off-dry to slightly sweet in style. (Warm Climate Wines) Ripe (even baked) apple/pear and peach fruit. Other flavors include floral, lemon/lime citrus, and buttery notes from malolactic fermentation/conversion.

Major White Varietals Chardonnay Chablis Pale to medium straw with green higlights. Very bright. Tart green apple, lemon-citrus, and pronounced chalky sea shell minerality. Some prooducers use new Oak imparting spice and wood aromas. Medium-bodied with flavors of tart apple, lemon peel, and chalky mineral. Austere character. Medium alcohol, medium-high to high acidity and very dry to bone dry. Intensity of flavor and quality varies with producer and the specific appellation (1er cru vs. grand cru, etc.) Pinot Grigio Pale to medium straw with a touch of rose/copper. Apple, pear, lemon citrus, straw, mineral. Dry to bone dry. Medium-bodied, medium-plus acidity, medium-minus alcohol. Long citrus-mineral finish. Viognier New World Medium-to-deep straw to medium yellow. Bright to very bright. Ripe to very ripe apricot/peach/nectarine notes and honey and floral elements. New Oak is often used. Sweet ripe fruit balanced by crisp acidity and the hallmark touch of bitterness on the finish with elements of new Oak. Medium-to-ful bodied, medium-plus alcohol and medium-plus acidity.

Major Red Varietals Pinot Noir Burgundy Light to medium Ruby Red fruits-cherry, raspberry and strawberry with tea, floral, herb, and earth. Oak aging adds smoke, sweet spice and wood flavors. The wines take on gamy-vegetal-earthy complexities with age Light to medium bodied, dry to bone dry. Light to medium tannins (green stem tanins often present) medium alcohol, medium-high acidity New World Medium to deep Ruby Ripe red fruits (black fruits in warm regions or vintages) herb, floral, tea and more Medium to full-bodied and dry. Medium tannins, medium to medium-plus alcohol and medium-plus acidity Syrah Northern Rhone Deep Ruby Black fruits, white and black pepper, floral, greengage, stone-mineral and wood. Medium to full-bodied and dry to bone dry. Medium-high acidity, medium to high tannins (Hermitage) and medium-plus alcohol Barossa Shiraz Very deep, opaque Ruby-purple Ripe, concentrated black fruits, black and white pepper, sweet spice, leather, earth and American Oak (pronounced vanillin, baking spices, sawdust) Full bodied and dry. Medium to high tannins, high alcohol, medium high acidity. Long, powerful, tannic Merlot Bordeaux Right Bank Black fruits, pronounced green herb, violet floral, earth-mineral. Oak aging adds smoke, sweet spice and wood flavors Medium to full-bodied and dry to bone-dry. Medium-plus acidity, medium-plus alcohol, medium to medium-high tannins. Generally, Merlot-based wines have softer tannins than Cabernet and tend to be more herbal, if not vegetal in character

Major Red Varietals Merlot CA / Australia Very deep Ruby Ripe black fruits, green herb, bitter chocolate and Oak. Also mint and eucalyptus in some wines Usually richer and riper than their Bordeaux counterparts. Ripe, lush and powerfull: full-bodied, medium to high alcohol, medium-plus acidity and medium to high tannins Cabernet Old World Bordeaux Deep Ruby Black fruits-berry, cherry, and cassis with green olive, cedar, pencil lead, violet floral and green herbs. Oak aging adds smoke, toast, sweet baking spices and sawdust notes Medium to full-bodied and dry to bone dry. Medium-plus alcohol, medium-plus acidity and medium to high tannins. New world CA / Australia Ripe black fruits, berry, cherry, and cassis with green olive, cedar, bitter chocolate and green herb notes. Oak aging adds smoke, toast, sweet baking spices and sawdust notes Full bodied and dry. Medium-plus to high alcohol, medium-plus acidity and medium to high tannins. Generally much riper and richer than Bordeaux and without the pominent earth/mineral component Sangiovese Chianti Classico Medium to deep Ruby. Can display rim variation in youth Bright, tart red fruits, sharp green herb, sandalwood, earth, and wood Medium to full-bodied and bone dry/ Medium-high acidity, medium alcohol, medium-high to high tannins