Sensory analysis and sommelier practice
Sensory analysis and sommelier practice tests whether you can taste systematically, describe perceptions in standard vocabulary, and use those observations to deduce grape, origin, age and quality.
The tasting grid
Work in a fixed order so nothing is missed.
- Appearance: clarity, intensity, colour, hue at rim versus core.
- Nose: condition (clean or faulty), intensity, aroma families (fruity, floral, vegetal, spicy, oaky, earthy, chemical), development (youthful, developing, fully developed).
- Palate: sweetness, acidity, tannin, alcohol, body, flavour intensity, texture, length, complexity.
- Conclusions: quality level, drinking window, grape, region.
Practice points
Serve sparkling at 6–8 °C, whites 8–12 °C, light reds 13–16 °C, full reds 16–18 °C; cold suppresses aroma and warmth exaggerates alcohol. Taste light to full, dry to sweet, young to old. Keep pours small and use consistent glassware so comparisons hold.
Worked example
"Medium garnet with a pale rim, dried rose, tar, high acid, high tannin, long finish, 13.5% ABV, developing." Reasoning: a pale garnet rim suggests bottle age; dried flowers with tar is the classic Nebbiolo signature; high acid with high tannin rules out Merlot and Pinot Noir; 13.5% fits Piedmont. Conclusion: aged Nebbiolo, likely Barolo or Barbaresco.
Traps
Do not call a grape from one aroma; corroborate with structure. "Legs" indicate alcohol and sugar, not quality. Acidity reads as salivation and freshness, alcohol as warmth, tannin as drying grip - tannin is not a taste. Calling oak-derived vanilla a fruit note is a common error.