How to Use a Wine Tasting sheet Like a Pro
Wine tasting is much more than just drinking wine – it’s about discovering, exploring, and understanding each wine's unique story through its appearance, aroma, and flavor. 🍷✨
With the help of a wine tasting protocol, you can easily keep track of your impressions, deepen your knowledge, and truly feel like a professional. 📝
In this guide, I will take you step by step through how to use my wine tasting protocol: download the protocol here, so you can fully enjoy each wine tasting – whether you are a beginner or an experienced connoisseur. 🥂😊
1. Appearance 👀
The first thing you notice during a wine tasting is the wine’s appearance – and there is a lot of exciting stuff to discover! By observing color and clarity, you can already begin to hint at the wine's secrets: origin, age, and character.
Clarity 💎
How clearly can you see through the wine?
Crystal Clear: A clear wine usually means that it has been filtered carefully. This is common in fresh, young white wines, like a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough or a Chablis.
Dimming (sediment): A slight cloudiness or visible particles does not necessarily mean something is wrong – on the contrary! Older red wines, like a mature Barolo or unfiltered Burgundy, can have some sediment, which is completely natural.
Color Intensity 🎨
Assess how light or dark the wine's color is:
Low intensity: Light, elegant wines with a mild color – think of a Pinot Grigio from Italy or a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire.
Medium intensity: This level is common among rosé wines from Provence and many young, fresh red wines like Pinot Noir.
Deep intensity: Bold and concentrated red wines often have a deep color – imagine a robust Cabernet Sauvignon from California or a full-bodied Syrah from the Rhône Valley.
Color Hue 🎨🍷
The wine's hues reveal important clues about its age and style. Here are some concrete examples:
🍏 White wines:
Green-yellow: Fresh and young, like a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
Yellow to golden: Wines that have gained some age or oak influence, such as Chardonnay from Burgundy or mature Riesling.
Amber or brown: Signs that the wine is older, common in mature, sweet wines like Sauternes or older port wines.
🌸 Rosé wines:
Pale pink: Young and fresh rosés from Provence, perfect for summer terraces.
Salmon-colored or orange: More mature rosé wines with extra character, for example from Bandol or older rosé champagne.
🍇 Red wines:
Purple to bluish-red: Younger red wines with intense fruity notes, such as Malbec from Argentina.
Red to brownish-red: Older wines that have developed complexity with hints of brick, typical of Rioja Reserva or Bordeaux with a few years of age.
Brick or brown: Older wines that have reached maturity, example a mature Barolo or classic Rioja Gran Reserva.
By carefully documenting the wine's appearance in your notes, you will become a more skilled wine taster, and you'll quickly learn to recognize important signals about the wine's style and character even before you've tasted a single drop! 🍷✨
2. Aroma 🌸👃
The wine's aroma is like its business card – it gives you the first important clues about its quality, origin, and maturity. Here’s how to analyze the aroma like a true Sommelier:
Purity 🍃
First and foremost: Is the aroma fresh and inviting, or is there something off-putting that disrupts it?
Clean: The aroma is clear, fresh, and pleasant. Think of an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc with notes of gooseberry and citrus or a crisp, mineral-rich Riesling.
Contaminated (defective): Here you might detect undesirable scents like vinegar, cork taint, mold, or oxidation. If you notice any of these, proceed with caution – this often indicates something went wrong during production or storage.
Aroma Intensity 🌺
How strong and pronounced is the wine's aroma? Here are some guidelines:
Low: The aroma is subtle and requires a bit of extra concentration. Common in older or simpler wines like a gentle, mature Pinot Noir.
Medium: Clear, balanced aromas – typical for many popular wines, such as an elegant Chardonnay from Burgundy.
Pronounced: The aromas are intense and hit you immediately! Common in aromatic wines like Gewürztraminer with roses and spices or a Riesling bursting with citrus and green apple.
Character 🍋🥐🍫
Now it's time to dig deeper into the types of aromas you actually perceive:
Primary aromas: Fruity and floral scents directly from the grape. Here you can find notes like green apple, lemon, peach, rose, or violet.
Secondary aromas: These aromas come from the winemaking process. Perhaps you detect the scent of freshly baked bread, brioche, toasted bread, or vanilla from oak barrels?
Tertiary aromas: Aromas that develop over time. Mature wines often offer intriguing scents like nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, leather, or spices.
Development 🍷📆
Finally, you assess the wine's maturity stage based on its aroma:
Young: Fresh, youthful fruit aromas dominate. Crisp and lively!
In development: The wine's scent begins to become more complex with hints of both primary and mature aromas.
Fully mature: Here you find a harmonious blend of mature, tertiary notes like nuts, honey, and dried fruit.
Overripe: The primary fruit aromas have faded, and the scent is now dominated by heavier notes such as earth, leather, or tobacco – signs that the wine may be past its peak.
By carefully documenting your scent impressions in your notes, you will quickly learn to recognize the character of different wines and enhance your ability to enjoy and understand wine on a deeper level! ✨🍇
3. Taste 🍷👅
Now it's time for the best part – tasting the wine! The flavor often complements and confirms your earlier impressions from appearance and aroma. Follow the steps below to get the most out of each sip:
Dryness 🍬🚫
How sweet or dry does the wine feel?
Dry: No noticeable sweetness at all, think of a classic dry Riesling or crisp Sancerre.
Dry with a little sweetness: Just a hint of sweetness that adds fruitiness, typical for Chardonnay or Pinot Gris.
Medium dry to medium sweet: More pronounced sweetness like in Riesling Kabinett or some rosé wines.
Sweet - very sweet: Intense sweetness, perfect for dessert – for example, Moscato d'Asti or a lovely Sauternes wine.
Acidity 🍋
Acidity adds freshness and balance:
Low acidity: A smooth, rounded feeling, common in California Chardonnay or other warmer climate wines.
Medium acidity: Harmonious and pleasant, often found in wines from the Rhône Valley or a well-balanced Merlot.
High acidity: Provides a fresh and lively sensation, perfect for Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or Champagne.
Tannin (Astringency) 🍇🌰
Coarseness provides structure (especially in red wines):
No coarseness: Common in white wines and lighter reds like Beaujolais.
Low coarseness: Soft and smooth, typical of a light Pinot Noir.
Medium coarseness: Common in Merlot or Tempranillo – balanced and pleasant.
High coarseness: Powerful structure with clear tannins, typical of Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, or Bordeaux.
Alcohol 🔥
How strong is the impact of alcohol on the wine's feel?
Low (<11%): Light and fresh wines, perfect for summer days, such as a German Riesling.
Medium (11-13.9%): Common in European table wines – balanced and harmonious.
High (over 14%): Stronger wines, often with intense flavors, such as Amarone or Zinfandel from California.
Body 🍯🥛
How heavy and rich does the wine feel in your mouth?
Light: The wine feels airy and elegant – think of a Pinot Grigio or lighter rosé.
Medium-bodied: The wine has a bit more body, common in Chardonnay or many red wines like Chianti.
Full-bodied: Strong and rich – like a robust Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.
Mousse/Texture (for sparkling wines) 🥂✨
How do the bubbles feel in your mouth?
Soft: Elegant and fine mousse, typical of high-quality champagne.
Creamy: Rich and round texture, often found in Crémant or fine Cava.
Aggressive: Lively, large bubbles like those in simpler Prosecco – delightful and refreshing!
Flavor Intensity 🌟
How clearly do you perceive the flavors?
Low: Subtle and mild flavors.
Medium: Balanced flavors that are pleasant without dominating.
High: Intense, flavorful, and rich – typical of high-quality wines.
Character 🍒🥖🍫
Identify the type of flavor profile the wine has:
Primary: Fresh and fruity flavors directly from the grape.
Secondary: Aromas and flavors from winemaking such as vanilla, toasted bread, or brioche.
Tertiary: Mature tones that develop during aging – nuts, chocolate, leather, or tobacco.
Aftertaste ⏳🍷
How long does the flavor linger after you swallow?
Short: Disappears quickly – simpler everyday wines.
Medium: Lingering flavor for a while, typical of quality wines like Chianti Classico.
Long: Flavor lasts a long time – complex and exclusive, common in older Bordeaux or Barolo.
By systematically analyzing the tasting experience, you can maximize your wine tasting and become an even more skilled taster! 🥂😊
4. Conclusion 🎯📝
After carefully analyzing the wine's appearance, aroma, and taste, it's time to summarize your impressions and piece together the puzzle! Here are the steps to draw well-founded conclusions and feel like a true wine expert:
Quality 🌟
How good is the wine really? Assess the wine's overall quality using balance, complexity, intensity, and how long the flavors linger:
Poor: The wine has obvious defects or is unbalanced. Perhaps it's time to switch bottles?
Acceptable: The wine is simple and correct but lacks depth. A typical "everyday wine" without frills.
Good: The wine is pleasant and balanced with a clear character – perfect for dinner with friends!
Very good: A high-quality wine with fine and clear flavors, excellent for festive occasions or a special dinner.
Excellent: An exceptional wine that impresses with complexity, balance, and depth – think premium wines, vintage champagne, or mature top wines from renowned regions.
Maturity Level 📅🍷
Is the wine ready to enjoy now, or will it get even better with a bit of patience?
Too young: The wine still feels somewhat angular with pronounced tannins, high acidity, or youthful fruit aromas. It can be beneficial to save it for further development.
Drinkable now, but has potential for aging: Already good to drink but can become even better and more complex over time.
Drink now! Perfectly balanced and at the peak of its maturity – time to open and enjoy!
Grapes and Origin 🌎🍇
Based on your previous observations, you can now try to guess the grape variety and origin of the wine:
Grape variety: Which grape do you think is hiding in the glass? Sauvignon Blanc with its citrus and green fruit notes, or perhaps Cabernet Sauvignon with dark berries and strong tannins?
Origin: Where in the world do you think the wine comes from? Is it the minerality and fresh acidity from the Loire, or maybe the warmth and intense fruitiness from California?
By carefully summarizing your impressions, you will quickly develop your ability to understand and appreciate the unique style and personality of each wine! 🍷✨
So why should you use a wine tasting sheet? 📝🍷
Using a tasting protocol is like having a personal guide by your side during the entire wine tasting. The protocol helps you easily structure and document your impressions, discover subtle differences between wines, and most importantly – develop your own skills as a wine taster. By systematically going through each step of the protocol – appearance, aroma, and taste – you quickly learn to recognize what distinguishes different grape varieties, regions, and winemaking styles. Each time you fill out the protocol, you refine your sensory abilities and become better at identifying and appreciating the various nuances of wine.
Moreover, your wine tastings become much more enjoyable and engaging when you can compare notes with others and clearly see which types of wine you prefer and why. You also gain a valuable logbook of your wine experiences, making it easier to choose the right bottles in the future, both for everyday dinner and special occasions.
Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced wine enthusiast, the protocol allows you to dive deeper into the fascinating world of wine. With every new tasting, you'll notice how your knowledge grows and how your ability to identify quality, maturity, and the unique character of wine improves.
So gather some friends, open a few exciting bottles, and let the protocol help you explore and appreciate wine on a whole new level. New tasting experiences await – and who knows, you might find your next favorite bottle along the way! 🌟🥂
Do you want more wine inspiration?
If you enjoyed this post about wine tasting protocols, you might also like some of my other articles where I dive even deeper into the wonderful world of wine:
How to Host a Successful Wine Tasting at Home: A practical guide for those who want to arrange their own wine tasting at home – packed with tips and ideas.
Choose the Right Wine Glass for Your Wine Experience: Discover how the shape of the glass affects the taste and aroma of the wine.
Swedish Vineyards – The Secret Behind Our Sparkling Wines: Learn why Swedish sparkling wines are celebrated both at home and internationally.
Pinot Noir from California – A Journey from Sonoma to Santa Barbara: Explore why these Californian regions are perfect for creating elegant and complex Pinot Noir.
Assyrtiko – A Forgotten Gem from Santorini: Discover this unique Greek grape that deserves more attention.
Do you have questions or want to book a tailored