The 5 S’s of Wine Tasting

 

To taste and assess wine like a professional, you can follow the "5 S" method. This framework is designed to engage all your senses, moving beyond simple enjoyment to active evaluation.

The 5 S’s of Wine Tasting

1. Sight

Hold your glass against a white background (like a napkin or paper) and tilt it slightly.

• Color: Does it look youthful (bright, vibrant) or aged (brick-red or amber/golden tones)?
• Clarity: Is it clear or cloudy? (A bit of sediment in older reds is normal, but cloudiness in others can indicate a fault).
• Viscosity: Swirl the wine and watch the "legs" or "tears" (droplets) run down the side of the glass. While often associated with alcohol content, they primarily indicate the wine's body and sugar/glycerin levels.

2. Swirl

Swirl the wine in the glass for about 10 seconds.

• Purpose: This aerates the wine, introducing oxygen which helps release volatile aroma compounds.
• Tip: If you’re nervous about spilling, keep the base of the glass on the table and move it in small circles.

3. Smell (The "Nose")

Put your nose right into the bowl of the glass and take a deep breath.

• Primary Aromas: Scents from the grape itself (fruit, floral, herbal).
• Secondary Aromas: Scents from winemaking (yeast, butter, or oak-derived notes like vanilla or toast).
• Tertiary Aromas: Scents from aging (earth, leather, tobacco, nuts, or dried fruit).
• Fault Check: If you smell wet cardboard, damp basement, or vinegar, the wine may be "corked" or spoiled.

4. Sip

Take a generous sip and let it coat your entire mouth for 3–5 seconds before swallowing.

• Aeration: Some professionals lightly "slurp" air through the wine in their mouth to further release aromas.
• Structure: Focus on the "big four" structural elements:
• Sweetness: Is it bone-dry or does it have residual sugar?
• Acidity: Does it make your mouth water (like a lemon)?
• Tannins: Does it feel drying or "sandy" on your gums (common in red wines)?
• Alcohol: Does it provide a warming sensation in your throat?

5. Savor (The "Finish")

After swallowing, pay attention to the aftertaste.

• Length: How long do the flavors linger? A long, pleasant finish is a hallmark of high-quality, complex wine.
• Development: Do the flavors shift or fade quickly?

How to Make an Assessment

To turn your tasting into an assessment, evaluate these four qualities:

Quality	What to Ask Yourself
Balance	Does any one component (e.g., too much alcohol or acid) overpower the others, or is it in harmony?
Complexity	Does it have multiple layers of flavor, or is it simple (e.g., just one fruit note)?
Intensity	Are the flavors bold and easy to identify, or are they subtle and faint?
Expressiveness	Does the wine taste like its grape variety or region (terroir)?

 

Pro Tip: Keep a small notebook or use an app to record your thoughts. Writing down what you smell and taste—even if you just use simple descriptors like "cherry," "butter," or "sharp"—is the fastest way to train your palate and improve your ability to distinguish between different styles of wine.

wine assessment skills

To practice your wine assessment skills, the best approach is to host a comparative flight. By tasting wines side-by-side, you can isolate differences in style, region, or grape variety much more effectively than if you drank them on different days.

Wine Folly

Here are three accessible "flight" ideas to help you train your palate.

Three (3) Beginner-Friendly Tasting Flights

1. The "Same Grape, Different Worlds" Flight

• Goal: Learn how climate affects wine style.
• The Wines:
• Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, France (Old World): Typically leaner, more mineral-driven, and "herbaceous."
• Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand (New World): Typically bold, punchy, and intensely tropical (think passionfruit and lime).
• What to look for: Does the French one feel more "acidic" and restrained? Does the New Zealand one feel more "intense" and fruit-forward?

2. The "Structure and Body" Flight (Reds)

• Goal: Understand tannins and body.
• The Wines:
• Pinot Noir: A light-bodied red with softer, silkier tannins.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: A full-bodied red with firm, grippy tannins.
• What to look for: Feel the inside of your mouth after each sip. The Pinot Noir will feel lighter, almost like tea, while the Cabernet will make your gums feel dry or "sandy" due to the higher tannin content.

3. The "Unoaked vs. Oaked" Flight (Chardonnay)

• Goal: Identify how winemaking (oak barrels) changes flavor.

Wine Folly

• The Wines:
• Chablis (or any "Unoaked" Chardonnay): Focuses on crisp apple, lemon, and stone-fruit flavors.
• California Chardonnay: Often aged in new oak, typically showing vanilla, butter, or toast notes.

Wine Folly

• What to look for: Is one wine "creamier" or richer in the mouth? That’s likely the influence of the oak.

Pro-Tips for Your Home Tasting

• Order Matters: Always taste from lightest to boldest. If you taste a heavy Cabernet first, its powerful flavors will make a lighter Pinot Noir taste like watery juice.
• Correct order: Sparkling → White → Rosé → Light Red → Bold Red.
• Keep Pours Small: Aim for 1–2 ounces per glass. You want enough to smell and swirl, but you don't want to get "palate fatigue" (where your senses get tired) from over-drinking.
• Use Neutral Palate Cleansers: Keep plain water and unsalted crackers nearby. Avoid spicy or highly flavorful snacks during the tasting, as they will mask the subtle nuances of the wine.
• The White Paper Trick: Place your glasses on a clean sheet of white paper. It is the easiest way to see the true color—whether a white wine is pale lemon or deep gold, or if a red has a purple rim (youthful) or a brick-orange rim (aged).
• Take Notes: Don't try to be fancy. Just write down the first three words that come to mind for each: e.g., "sour," "cherry," "dry." Comparing these notes side-by-side is where the real learning happens.

A Guide to Wine and Food

Pairing wine with food is about balance. The goal is to ensure neither the wine nor the food overwhelms the other. Use these fundamental strategies to create harmonious combinations.

The 4 Pillars of Pairing

Principle	Interaction
Complement	Match the flavor intensity (e.g., light wine with light food, bold wine with heavy food).
Contrast	Pair opposites to create interest (e.g., sweet wine with spicy food, or salty food with high-acid wine).
Congruence	Match similar flavors (e.g., earthy Pinot Noir with mushroom risotto).
Bridge	Use a "bridge" ingredient (e.g., if a sauce has lemon, pair with a high-acid wine like Sauvignon Blanc).

Classic Pairing Guidelines

• Acid with Fat: High-acid wines (Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio) cut through rich, fatty, or fried foods, cleansing the palate.
• Sweet with Spicy: Off-dry or sweet wines (Riesling, Gewürztraminer) neutralize the heat of spicy dishes like Thai or Indian cuisine.
• Tannins with Protein: The tannins in bold reds (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah) bind with the proteins and fats in red meat, making both the meat taste smoother and the wine taste less harsh.
• Salt with Sweet/Acid: Salty foods (charcuterie, olives) pair exceptionally well with crisp whites or sparkling wines to balance the salinity.

Quick-Reference Pairing Matrix

Wine Type	Best Food Matches	Avoid With
Sparkling	Fried food, salty snacks, oysters, creamy pasta.	Heavy, gamey red meats.
Crisp White	Seafood, goat cheese, salads, citrus-based dishes.	Heavy cream sauces, red meat.
Rich White	Roasted chicken, lobster, creamy sauces, squash.	Extremely light/delicate salads.
Light Red	Roasted salmon, mushroom dishes, duck, charcuterie.	Heavy, spicy curries or charred steak.
Bold Red	Steak, lamb, braised meats, hard aged cheeses.	Delicate fish, spicy dishes.

Expert Tips for Success

• Match Regionality: "What grows together, goes together." Pairing a wine with food from the same region (e.g., Chianti with tomato-based Italian pasta) is rarely a mistake.
• Consider the Sauce: Often, the sauce determines the pairing more than the protein itself. A grilled chicken with a lemon-butter sauce requires a different wine than the same chicken in a red wine reduction.
• Sweetness Matters: If the food is sweet, the wine should be at least as sweet, or it will taste bitter and metallic.