Hunter Valley Tours from Sydney

Wine tasting notes – Trying wine can feel different for everyone because our sense of taste and smell are tied to our own experiences. People may prefer one wine critic’s opinions over another’s.

There are words commonly used to describe wine that are good to know. They help you understand what a particular type of wine might be like.

Besides flavors, tasting notes also tell you about other things in the wine. According to Andrew Jefford, a wine expert, things like the way the wine feels in your mouth and its overall structure are just as important as how it smells and tastes.

Varietals – A wine varietal is a wine made from one type of grape, like pinot noir or chardonnay. Red, white, sparkling, and dessert wines are different types of wine but not varietals themselves. However, varietals are found within these categories. For example, cabernet franc is a type of red wine varietal.

In some places where wine is made, a varietal has the same name as the grape it’s made from, like a Syrah made from Syrah grapes. This is common in North America, Australia, and South America. In more traditional wine regions like France and Italy, the names of varietals come from where the wine is made, not the grape variety. For instance, a Burgundy wine from the French region is made with Pinot Noir grapes.

Terroir – It is about how the climate, soil, and landscape of a specific area impact the flavour of wine. Certain places are thought to have a stronger “terroir” than others, meaning these factors have a more distinct influence on the wine’s taste.

Tannin – It is a natural substance found in plants, seeds, bark, wood, leaves, and fruit skins. It’s a type of polyphenol, which are large molecules made up of oxygen and hydrogen. The word “tannin” comes from an old Latin word for tanner, linking to the historical use of tree bark in tanning leather. So, in a way, the name comes from that process!