MWWine School’s Melanie Webber in a vineyard holding wine made by one of her students.

We have probably all experienced it. Being at a wine tasting, wine bar or tasting room and hearing some wine ‘aficionado’ loudly proclaim “notes of fresh berries on a spring day, recently sawed wood, and a touch of forest floor,” when all you are smelling in your glass is either nothing of the kind or maybe a whiff of strawberry and a bit of vanilla.

And anyone who has seen the film Somm, where ‘fresh-cut garden hose’ is trotted out as a descriptor, or Sideways, where Miles goes into poetic raptures about a wine he is tasting (as his buddy Jack surreptitiously chews gum), knows that the language of wine tasting can be mystifying, intimidating and, often, downright ridiculous. But it absolutely shouldn’t be.

This is why the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT), which I teach in Asheville at MWWine School (at Quench! Wine Bistro), makes so much sense. Wine tasting can be so subjective, and having a relatively simple equation for assessing wine outside of personal preferences can take the intimidation out of the process and deepen the enjoyment. For wine professionals, it can further their understanding of the where, why, and how of the wine in their glass, while encouraging wine enthusiasts to stop and smell the roses.

Students in MWWine School using WSET’s Systematic Approach to Tasting.

The SAT begins by assessing appearance: what color is the wine and how deep is that color? If it is red wine, tilt the glass at a 45 degree angle (preferably over something white) and look at the color at the rim of the liquid. And, if the wine is white, look to the core for the color. For color intensity, how far does the color extend to the rim for white, when the glass is tilted? For red, when you look straight into the glass, can you still see the stem? This sight analysis offers many clues about the grape variety, the age of the wine, oak use, and so on. Next, swirl your glass and see how far you have to stick your nose in to capture the aromas. If the aromas leap out of the glass, it is pronounced in intensity; if you have to dig your nose in, it is light. Are you smelling ‘primary’ aromas from the grapes (flowers, tree fruit, stone fruit, berries, herbaceous, etc.), ‘secondary’ aromas from post-fermentation winemaking (butter, vanilla, cedar, toast), and ‘tertiary’ aromas (leather, earth, honey, nuts) from the maturation process?

Already you have found out a lot about that wine without even tasting it. But, of course, tasting is (almost) everything, so now put that beautiful liquid on your palate. Is there any sweetness? Does your mouth water and for how long (acid)? Is your mouth drying (tannin)? Does your throat burn (alcohol)? What is the body – the feel of the wine in your mouth – is it full, like cream or light, like skim milk? How intense and identifiable are the flavors? Are they the same on the palate as on the nose and, finally, how long do the pleasant flavors linger on your palate (finish/length)? Then, ask if all those elements are in balance. And that, plus the length of the finish and your measure of the intensity and complexity of those flavors, will give you your quality assessment.

It is neither as easy, nor as complicated, as I have made it sound. While it does take practice to delineate those flavors and aromas, most students catch on very quickly, and the SAT lays a solid foundation from which their wine knowledge can soar. One of the great pleasures I take as a wine educator is not only seeing that light bulb go off as students begin to recognize and put together these elements but also – even as we strive for a relatively unified language – hearing their creative descriptions. In fact, I wrote an article that was shortlisted in the 2023 Jancis Robinson Wine Writing Competition about a student finally identifying the aroma of ‘wet stone’ in a glass of wine.

In the end, being more present when you taste wine is always worthwhile, as long as you have faith in your own palate and are willing to explore, and WSET can help you along that path. Apart from that, a tried-and-true rule of thumb is to just drink what you like and spit out what you don’t! Cheers!

AIR Asheville Members will receive 10% off registration with code: AIRMEMBER10.

Click here for more information on Melanie’s WSET Level One and Three classes this Fall at Adelaida Vineyard and Winery or go to melaniewebberwine.com.