Several readers have told me that they are confused by descriptive terms used to characterize wines. This week’s column will take you down the path of understanding, and developing, a wine glossary.
Now you can dazzle each other with a wine syntax that will help you better appreciate the true nuances of wine tasting.
First, the biology lesson. (So you thought ninth-grade science would never be relevant in later life!) One of the reasons that experiencing wines is so complex and yet so simple is that we are able to employ several of our five senses in a singular, focused moment. Of these senses, taste and smell are the critical components.
For taste, think flavor. It is our taste buds that distinguish the overall experience of the wine at hand. The tongue is where the five elements of taste reside: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami.
As we sip our wine, there are specific areas on the surface of the tongue and the side of the mouth that impact our perception of wine. Sweet receptors reside on the front of the tongue, salty on the front sides, umami in the middle, sour on the rear sides and bitter on the rear. The next time you sip a wine, or taste any food for that matter, take special note of this road map in your mouth.
Let’s translate several of these senses of taste. If your tongue senses sweetness, the term “residual sugar” is usually applied...
Click HERE to read the full article.