What are the 5 S,s of wine tasting? Do you use these in your wine appreciation classes. Thanks for your reply Chris
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
The "5 S's"of wine tasting could be seen as just a catchy memory device, yet the concept is grounded in a sensible tasting strategy. The first step or S is to "See" or examine the appearance of a wine in the glass, which may provide various information to be confirmed by the subsequent steps. This should be done while tilting the glass over a white surface illuminated by a bright incandescent light. The clarity of the wine is to be noted, although contemporary wine handling renders virtually all (filtered) wine completely clear. In older wines, of course, there can be sediment to varying degrees. Young reds typically have a purple rim and vibrant color which fades and browns with time; whites may be lightly gold when young before darkening and browning as they become older. A brownish tint could also tell the taster that the wine has been deliberately exposed to air during extended aging in the cellar, as would be the case with a Tawny Port. The second S is for "Swirl," the act of rotating the glass by the stem so as to provoke release of the volatile aromatic compounds prior to step three, "Sniff" (or "Smell"). This is an absolutely vital component of the tasting process, since what we call flavor is determined mainly by aroma. Unfortunately, many people tend to rush past this essential step. We could also say that the nose of a wine is a source of tremendous pleasure, not just for those wines based on so-called aromatic grape varieties (for example, Riesling or Muscat). The world's finest wines possess multidimensional aromatic personalities. The nose might also tell us about defects and off-odors. Next, we come to "Sip" as we take some of the wine into the mouth, perhaps aiding our senses by drawing a bit of air and gently moving the wine around the palate. (Pros do this without drawing the attention of a room full of people!) At this point, we can take note of the basic tastes such as acidity, bitterness, sweetness and - in a few instances - saltiness (the fifth taste, umami, is a more complicated issue in wine tasted without food). As we do this, we arrive at the final stage, "Savor," when we can assess and reflect on the overall characteristics of the wine, including its state of development, body, balance and, once again, the aromatic traits which ascend through our retro nasal passages. Last, we may savor the length of the finish, or how long the flavors persist. The greatest wines have the most lasting and complex finishes. So the 5 S's really do make a lot of sense and they can help anyone to go about tasting in a deliberate, disciplined manner - taking notes at each step if you're really serious and want a record for the future.
