Mendoza, Argentina.

(Tasting)

The tasting is basically the act by which, the consumer will put his senses on approval, to evaluate a wine and to thus consider, its final quality. This process of evaluation, is attainable only by human beings, since the electronic systems of measurement, single could determine amounts or presence of substances, but never put into play the senses and the sensations, to make an opinion.

It is possible to emphasize, that all the human beings, we are different to each other, reason why for some people it will be but easy to detect flavors, another one to perceive scents, etc....and the good thing of all this, is that we can have many opinions of a same product, according to the amount of people that make the tasting, which creates an ample possibilities of opinions at the time of making an personal oopinion.

Requirements:

n order to make a correct opinion, we needed to tell on an agreed atmosphere the circumstances. For that reason, we are going to analyze the ideal atmosphere in where a good tasting can be made.

1) The Place:

We are going to choose a free place of scents, without noises, disturbances (like being outer vibrations, noises, etc.), and by mainly, with a good illumination (preferredly of white light).

2) The Ideal Glass:

A great number of designs, varieties exist in the market and models of glasses, for that reason, will be necessary to select carefully, the one that but adapts to the situation.

It would be good for beginning with a glass of the type “flaut” in espumantes wines or a “Great Burgundy” for red wines and of body.

The quality of the material whereupon has become the glass, can produce a significant distortion in the final verdict, if it is not appropriate.

3) The Appropriate Temperature:

Each wine, has a rank of temperatures in which fullness will be in its top condition, with respect to its original characteristics.

Thus, a good red could have a temperature between 15º and 19º, a target between 7º and 11º, and a "espumante" between 8º and 12º.

The warehouses always usually give recommendations about the ideal temperatures of conservation of their wines, placing them in the printed label of the bottle.

4) Card of Tastings:

It is basically a list that will allow us to leave to all the qualifications and notes based, respect to evaluated wines.

Phases of Tasting:

They correspond with the senses that we are going to put to work, at the time of making the tasting.

They are:

A) Visual phase:

Having the drink by his foot, one inclines slightly (to 45º), observing the visual but preponderant characteristics like being: tone, brightness, intensity, shade, depth.

We must obtain colors correctly defined: reds (red wines) and yellows (white wines), and to also analyze I pull ahead that one forms between the glass and the wine, remembering that:

- If it presents an ahead clean, it is a healthy wine.

- If it presents a light ahead, it is a young wine.

- If it presents ahead of accentuated color, it is a mature wine.

- If it presents ahead of earthing characteristics, it is in decay.

B) Olfactory phase:

The glass to the nose comes near, leaving frees the sense of the sense of smell to the first impressions (that they are those that will reveal the true identity of the wine at issue). Here we will analyze the persistence, intensity and quality of the wine. Those are the primary impressions.

Immediately afterwards, it is rotated the glass in small circles, so that I oxygenate penetrates, and they are possible to be obtained thus, secondary and tertiary impressions. It is the moment for smelling again, with the closed eyes, to obtain the deepest characteristics, than they confer aromatic, fruit, floral notes, an many more.

C) Gustative Phase:

It is the moment for proving a small one I suck of wine, and swallowing it, we will evaluate as “it happens”, that is to say, like “flood the mouth” with his characteristics.

We will evaluate its aromatic, fruit notes, again, and will be able to measure the acidity of he himself. Also it is important, the subject of “retrogusto” to know that taste leaves in the mouth, once ingested. This will also allow us, to measure the duration of he himself once drunk.

D) Phase of Balance and Harmony:

We will be able to affirm, that a wine has ideal balance, when one of its characteristics is not preponderant respect to the others.

And to be able to have a wine with harmony, it will be necessary to remember three first stage and to combine them, to see that so agreed they appear a respect to others, or if they can form a perfect set.

Tasting, is everything an art, and the taster, becomes a professional, who will know to recommend, to advise and to enjoy best wines.