Spring Wine Tasting

• 05 Jun 2018
• Camilla Wood

Conduit Article - June

Spring Wine Tasting

Spring is most definitely upon us and, in this most glorious of seasons, our senses come alive: the sound of birdsong as dawn breaks, the vivid lime green of budding hedgerows, the vibrant yellow of rapeseed in bloom, the taste of jersey royals tossed in butter and mint and, that most powerful of senses, the smell of freshly mown grass, or rather less fragrant, a newly fertilised field! In wine tasting, smell is the first and most kingly of our senses. It is intrinsically linked to our taste; it reveals the first whiff of aromas which illicit clues as to what it is to come next on the palate - it presents us with the opportunity to gauge the full profile and expression of a wine.

In wine tasting parlance we refer often to the senses via the 5 S’s :

1. See - assess the wine’s colour to give clues to grape, country of origin, or age

2. Swirl - to aerate the wine in the glass and bring out its aroma compounds

3. Sniff - here our sense of smell is fully operational - what fruits can you smell, are they (if red wine) red forest fruits, or deep and black; are they fresh and juicy or baked and raisined? Is there oak present, are there savoury notes of age etc?

4. Sip or slurp - bring the wine into your mouth, suck it in as if through a straw, get some air involved, rotate it around the mouth letting it touch the sides and back of the tongue and throat, assess acidity levels on the sides of the tongue and alcohol on the back.

5. And finally swallow, savour or summarise - enjoy the experience, identify the kinds of fruit you taste, oak treatment, and acidity level, conclude if all is in balance and lastly assess the finish or how long the flavours linger in the mouth. Did you enjoy it, was it simple or complex? Was it memorable or just good for the money?

If you find any of the above fascinating and fancy learning more about wine, we are delighted that this month marks the commencement of our WSET wine courses at The Somerset Wine Company. We are now an Approved Programme Provider of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses, Level 1 and Level 2. Our first Level 1 day course kicks off on June 23rd at The Market House in Castle Cary 9am - 5pm (£160 including a light lunch). It will be a fun and interactive day, perfect for wine enthusiasts wishing to gain confidence in tasting, learn about principle grape varieties and regions and try wines out of their usual comfort zone. The day concludes with a 30 minute multiple choice exam and a certificate for all who pass (it’s easy!). The courses make great gifts and are suitable for over 18s wishing to work in the hospitality sector. For more information please call Susanne in the shop on 01963 548228 or visit our website under News & Events/Wine School. Enjoy practising your smelling techniques in this most fragrant of months. We hope to see you at a course in the future!

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