Do you know the What and Why of your favorite wines?

One of the vinous offramps I took a few years ago was to expand the depth and breadth of my wine appreciation; more specifically, to explore, and discover, more wines than were in my usual buying/drinking/cellaring routine.  I also nagged those of you who were readers at the time, to enlarge the scope of your wine enjoyment by introducing (and even challenging) your palate with new types and styles. 

Coincidental with that, was my decision 1) to be far more deliberate in my tasting assessments, and 2) to keep a record of them via Instagram posts. Once registered, I began following (and learning from) wine enthusiasts who posted their assessments, and many of those returned the favor by following me.

In deciding to be more thorough and attentive to the details underlying the components in the basic tasting protocol (See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savor), I came to an expanded appreciation of a wine in its entirety, its overall style and structure, as well as its ultimate quality level. While my previous tasting routines might have lasted a minute or two, the new more detailed procedure occasionally took up to an hour, including note taking.  

In the See and Swirl steps, for example, which deals with color, but more accurately, the overall appearance, I studied it for clarity, brightness, and engaging freshness. Did it make me eager to continue the probe? Further, was the red color, say, ruby, garnet, purplish, or outright black?  Translucent or opaque?  Was the white, very pale or some shade of gold or straw?  Any green or other aspects?  Did either red or white display an oily or leggy richness?  Or was it loose and watery?

In the Sniff and Sip steps, did they confirm what was implied in the See step?  Did the reds, for example, suggest Bing cherries, blueberries, strawberries or cranberries?  Were the whites fruity or floral?  Citrus driven? Or hinting melons, pears, or stone fruit? And did either the red or white, seem rich and ripe?  Or thin and lean?

Conventional wisdom from the professional critics is to not rush the Sniff step; deliberate, repeated short sniffs with your dominant nostril (Yes! It’s either your left or your right one!), will get you started, then gradually move into a few probing, longer ones. Let your mind’s eye capture a good, time-lapse picture.

And in the Savor step, which brings it all together by assessing the wine’s structural impact on the palate, was its body style light, medium, heavy or a combination?  Was the acidity flat, crisp or tart? Were tannins present, and if so, were they dusty, firm, refined, or coarse? And did it taste dry, off dry or sweet? And were each of those components well balanced with each other, leading to a pleasing, lengthy finish?

Continuing on, was the overall mouthfeel or texture loose, firm or tightly wound?  Was it refined and elegant or rustic and common? Was the oak aging, if any, a gentle burnish or a mouthful of buttery overkill?

Finally, by now you’ve figured out the above is a not-so-subtle, check list for a more organized approach to wine tasting.  And whether you purchase via Wine Clubs or some other recurring routine (producer, varietal, price, social media), I would still encourage you to do your homework to fully understand and articulate, if possible, concisely in two or three short sentences, the essence of your current favorites.