Deductive Tasting 101: A Sommelier Introduction

Look: Check out the color, a vibrant deep purple with blue hues. Many clues are hidden in appearance and unless tasting blind, many answers can be found on the label (i.e. vintage, alcohol and grape variety). In this case, the color tells you the wine is young and overtime will shift to a lighter, brown tone. The blueness gives the sense of low acidity and juicy fruit characteristics. Also a sign of low to moderate alcohol which makes fruit shine forward.

Smell: Think big to small on this front. Since this is a red wine, break down the wine by red, blue or black fruit. Then you should define the type of berry by type. In this case blackberry, dark cherry and a hint of dark plum.
Broadly, you can define the nose even further by three primary categories:

1. 1. Primary aromas: Grape-derivatives which include fruits, herbs and floral notes.
   2. Secondary aromas: Winemaking practices dictate this aroma and usually yeast driven. None found in the Malbec and this function is usually found in white wine.
   3. Tertiary aromas: Comes from aging in the bottle or possibly in oak. Common aromas include savory, roasted nuts, baking spices, vanilla, tobacco, leather, cedar and even coconut. Our Malbec shows hints of vanilla and baking spices at this stage.

Taste: The estate’s favorite thing to do. Think palate here and sensations.

1. 1. Taste: The tongue will detect salty, sweet, sour and bitter. Acid drives sour and varies with climate and grape variety. Sweetness, in part controlled by late harvest & fermentation stop points. Stop early, more residual sugar, less alcohol, hence sweetness. Bitter a direct effect of skin contact and tannin management.
   2. Texture: Two factors to consider, alcohol and tannins control texture. High alcohol, riper wines give more body and weight. Our Malbec reflects juicy texture with moderate alcohol, great balance.
   3. Length: Judge the beginning, mid-palate and finish. In our wine, juicy entry, soft middle and elegant finish from the oak.

Think & Conclude: Did the wine show balance (i.e. too acidic, too alcoholic, too tannic, oak)? Did you enjoy the sensation? Was this wine unique or unmemorable? Were there anycharacteristics that shined through and impressed me? Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed our 2017 Augusta Vin Malbec especially on the balance thought process. It’s a sensation just waiting for your corkscrew.