The Taste of Wine | Savant Wines

Dec 16

Tannins & Bitterness in Wine

Tannins and bitterness are often difficult to separate and properly identify in wine.

Tannins contribute to two sensations on the palate – astringency (lack of water) and bitterness. (Please note the word: CONTRIBUTE. There are other components in wine that also can enhance one, or both, sensations.)

Tannins are a type of polyphenol. Polyphenols are a small molecule that in wine, come primarily from the skins of the grape and/or from wood contact (wood barrels.) Tannins cause the sensation of astringency …

Why take tasting notes?

Robin Garr of 30 Second Wine Advisor says it so well – nothing to add:

“And just about every wine professional I know would agree that a strong tasting memory is one of the keys to training a good palate. The more you can remember about previous wines, the more effectively you can gauge each new wine you taste.”

Why Take Tasting Notes

Mar 5

How do you relate wine scores to your own taste?

Wine scores and reviews are confusing. It is hard to understand how the same wine received 92 points from one reviewer and only 88 points from another. Or how to equate a 20 point scale to a 100 point scale.

Just like movie reviewers, wine reviewers have different preferences. It is usually best to find a single reviewer who has similar taste preferences as yours and then follow their recommendations. And you may even want to choose a different reviewer for different regions …