Sparkling wine evaluation

Whereas olfaction assesse the sensory contributions of volatile wine components,taste evaluates the non-volatile constituents responsible for the sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness of wine, as well as the tactile sensations, such as body, astringency, and warmth.

The primary taste organ is the tongue. The tongue is covered in raised areas called papillae, which contain our taste buds.

Additional taste buds can also be found in the roof of the mouth, and on the epiglottis and oesophagus. Receptor cells within each taste bud are responsible for detecting the presence of taste substances and sensations.

These interactions cause electrical activity, which is subsequently transmitted to the brain for processing in a manner similar to that of the olfactory system. The main wine components, responsible for the basic tastes of wine are sugars, and to a lesser extent, ethanol for sweetness; acids for soundness; phenolic compounds for bitterness; and salts of minerals or acids for saltiness; although it's rare for a wine to be perceived as salty. Many of these substances also elicit tactile sensations.

As indicated earlier, the body and palate weight of a wine are closely associated with its alcohol content.

But alcohol can also produce warmth, and sweetness on the palate. Viscosity, and therefore body are also influenced by the concentration of sugar.

Phenolic compounds are responsible for the drying, puckering sensation known as astringency.

These tactile sensations are the result of chemical interactions between tannins, a subclass of phenolic compounds, and protein in our saliva.

This process strips the mouth of saliva, and the increased friction that results is perceived by touch receptors located throughout the mouth.

Some tannins are smooth and velvety, but some are course and rough.

These tactile sensations contribute to the overall mouth feel of a wine.

In some instances, the presence of gases such as carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide can also stimulate tactile sensations.

Tingling or spritz, in the case of carbon dioxide, and irritation in the throat, in the case of sulphur dioxide.

Individually, the taste and tactile sensations associated with different non-volatile wine components are readily discerned.

But collectively, our perception of one component will be affected by our perception of others.

As with olfaction, the principal interaction between taste components is that of suppression.

Therefore, an important wine making skill is the ability to achieve a balance in a wine.

For example, the mutual suppression of wine acidity and sweetness to achieve a wine that is crisp, not sour, or sweet, but not sickly sweet.

Taste sensations can also enhance tactile sensations.

Increased acidity has been shown to heighten our perception of astringency, while increased ethanol can enhance, not only bitterness, but also the warmth of wine.

The ability to discern different tastes is an objective sensory exercise and can be learned with some practice. The following activity will introduce you to the basic tastes, and taste interactions

  Sparkling wine styles vary considerably, from sweet white and pink Moscatos to sparkling white,rose, and red wines, but sparkling white wines,including Prosecco and Champagne, still make up the lion's share of total sparkling wine production.

At the lower end of the quality range, sparkling wines tend to be sweet and fruity and typically have larger bubbles, indicative of carbonation or Charmet methods of production.

Higher-quality sparkling wines, made via the transfer method or the methode traditionnelle, will exhibit a lot more complexity due to yeast autolysis and bottle ageing.

Of course, Champagne remains the benchmark for quality worldwide.

The colour of sparkling wine can range from pale straw to deep yellow, or salmon pink to pale red in the case of rose styles.

When evaluating the appearance of sparkling wine, it's appropriate to also note the size and persistence of bubbles and any foam, which we refer to as the mousse.

My wine is pale yellow in colour and there's a good persistency in the bead of bubbles that are forming.

The aroma and flavour profiles of different sparkling wines will vary depending on grape variety and production method.

Fruit characters might include things such as apple, citrus, melon, fig, strawberry, confectionery, floral, and perfume.

Descriptors associated with yeast autolysis and ageing can include yeasty, toasty, bready, savoury, nutty, honey, or dried fruit and even mushroom or oyster.

As for the palate, sparkling wine should always be crisp, and higher-quality wines will often exhibit a creamy texture.

So my wine's showing a combination of fruit notes, so sort of underlying citrus and grapefruit, a little bit of floral character in there as well, but it's got these really intense, yeasty, doughy, brioche notes, so this is the yeast autolysis and ageing coming through.

On the palate, again, it's got those citrus, grapefruit, lime characters, but a lot of toasty, bready notes and a hint of truffles as well.

It's medium-bodied, very complex, but has a lovely, crisp, dry finish.

If you have the opportunity to try a sparkling red, I'd encourage you to do so.

Sparkling reds are also made via the methode traditionnelle.

They're typically a deep crimson red colour and exhibit a combination of rich fruit notes-- think cherry, plum, and blackberry-- together with spice, chocolate and licorice notes.

On the palate, they're rich and full-flavored, with lingering tannins.

They're not nearly as popular or widely available as sparkling white wines, but they're a favourite of mine, especially in summer.

 

Sparkling wine styles vary considerably, from sweet white and pink Moscatos, to sparkling white, rose and red wines. But sparkling white wines, including Prosecco and Champagne, make up the lionshare of total sparkling wine production. The sensory profiles of the different styles of sparkling wine obviously vary considerably, but within each styles, there can also be stylistic variation, depending on both grape variety and method of production.

Appearance:

colour: pale straw to deep yellow (sparkling white wine); from salmon pink to pale red (sparkling rosé wine); from crimson red to violet red (sparkling red wine).

bubbles: consider both the size and persistence of bubbles, and presence of any foam or ‘mousse’. 

Aroma and flavour:

fruit characters:

apple, confectionary, citrus, fig, floral, fruity, grapefruit, lemon, lime, melon, perfumed, strawberry (sparkling white and rosé wines); blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry, floral, jammy, licorice, mulberry, pepper, plum, spice (sparkling red wine).

developed characters:

biscuit, bread, buttery, creamy, dried fruit, dough, honey, meaty, mushroom, nutty, oyster, savoury, toasty, truffle, vegemite, yeast (sparkling white wine); barnyard, chocolate, earthy, forest floor, gamey, leather, licorice, meaty, mushroom, savoury, spicy, smoky, tobacco, truffle (sparkling red wine).

Taste and mouthfeel:

Sparkling wines should always exhibit crisp acidity. Sparkling white and rosé wines are often delicate, can be dry or sweet; more complex styles might exhibit buttery or creamy textures. Sparkling red wines are usually full-bodied, with lingering tannins, and persistent flavour.