Savor
There are 5 Steps in Evaluating Wine: sight, swirl, smell, taste and savor. Each one of these steps provide key information and a window into the wine that you are about to enjoy. The last step, savor, is especially important as this your lasting impression or aftertaste that lingers in your mouth. I like to call it the memory of the wine.
Consider these things when on your “savor” step of evaluating your wine:
Is the wine light, medium or full bodied? The grape variety and climate where the grapes were grown will mainly contribute to this.
What is the flavor intensity? The grape variety and terroir in which it comes from (soil, climate, site)
Are the 4 components (acid, fruit, tannin, alcohol) in balance? Note that white wines tend to have higher acidity and red wines have more tannin. All wines from cooler climates have higher acidity. Wines from a warmer climate will have riper fruit as well as higher alcohol.
Is the finish short or long? A wine’s acidity will lengthen the finish. Also, a lighter bodied wine generally has a shorter finish wile a fuller bodied wine has a longer finish.
Is the wine simple in style or complex with many nuances? A wine with more and different flavors, whether they are fruit or non-fruity flavors, is a wine that is more complex. Complexity is also realized in a wine’s mouthfeel.
Is the wine youthful, developing or mature? Younger wines have more fresh and primary fruit flavors. As it ages in bottle, it begins to develop and the primary fruit is more tempered and the wine takes on more tertiary flavors. As it matures, the tannins soften and the tertiary flavors become more dominant.
Does the wine’s flavor confirm the what you were smelling? This is often the case, but not always. A wine may exhibit very vibrant fruit aromas but yet can be more savory when tasting or vice versa.
Lastly, as you enjoy a bottle of wine from start to finish, several aspects of the savor will change as the wine is exposed to air. This experience is one of the many great pleasures of wine appreciation.
We have a FREE 5 STEPS TO EVALUATING WINE GUIDE for you to further your wine study that goes along perfectly with this topic!
5 Steps to Evaluating Wine
In this guide, we take you through each of our 5 steps: Sight (Color), Smell, Swirl, Taste, Savor, and offer directions and things to consider for each step. Having a greater understanding of these five steps and how to make the most of them will give you greater appreciation of wine, allowing you to explore deeper in your wine journey!