Some wines will display earthiness, or what wine folks often refer to as terroir. It's an all-encompassing term that is commonly and erroneously referred to as the taste of the earth (or dirt). It's far more than that: terroir includes the effects of soil composition, drainage, slope, weather, and sun exposure, among other factors. Terroir is most commonly associated with traditionally produced Western European wines. A great German Riesling may hint at dry slate and petrol, or a classic red Barolo may remind you of black truffle and parched earth. These are not, of course, additives to the wines but rather characteristics that express themselves more noticeably in cool climates (such as central or northern France) than in warm ones (such as southern Australia or central California). Although the term has snob appeal, terroir is neither good nor bad. It simply is. You sense it as both aroma and taste. In wines where terroir is profound, the fruit is usually more subdued, and vice versa. Distinctive terroir aromas are generally obvious and become easier to discern with experience. Try a classically interpreted European wine alongside its American or Australian counterpart, and the difference becomes clear: for example, a French red Bordeaux's minerally terroir can be readily distinguished from a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon's fruit-forward nature.
Many wines are aged in oak barrels (known as barriques), which can impart aromas and flavors. Most classic, small wine barrels are traditionally coopered by heating and bending the wooden staves over fire; the resulting charring of the staves affects the flavor of the wine. In whites, you may detect aromas of caramel, vanilla, toast, cinnamon, or other sweet spices. In reds, the nuances are more likely to be chocolate, smoke, toast, coffee, and, again, vanilla and sweet spices.
As you smell, you develop initial insights into the wine's personality. Tartness in wine (its acidity) can be estimated by salivation. If you are very sensitive to acidity, smelling a sharp white wine such as a young Pinot Grigio can make you salivate in the same way that placing a lemon slice directly under your nose will do. Nasally detected bitterness, especially in ample red wines, may indicate the presence of tannins, naturally occurring compounds in red wines that produce a gritty, chalky sensation, similar to the astringent effect of strong black tea. Alcohol, which may come off as a hot or slightly burning sensation in the top of the nose, can be evident and provides a clue as to the richness or body of the wine. Fuller-bodied wines are by definition higher in alcohol and may prickle your nose. Compare a sniff of wine with one of vodka, gin, or whiskey to get an exaggerated example of this burning sensation.
TASTE AND TOUCH
As you may have gathered by now, I believe that tasting (from an evaluative standpoint) is overrated. Once you've made comprehensive visual and olfactory assessments of the wine, the tasting serves merely to confirm your observations. Of course, there are certain attributes that can be evaluated best through tasting, but, by and large, appearance and aroma will give you a clear sense of the wine. For me, the primary reason for actual tasting is the enjoyment.
In tasting, the key is ensuring that you take in enough to evaluate. Many people sip wine like coffee, covering about 15 percent of their taste buds, and not thoroughly coating the mouth for maximum appreciation and evaluation. So sip amply! Some people like to slurp the wine; this, like swirling the wine in the glass, incorporates extra air into the wine. “Chewing” the wine to move it around in your mouth can also be helpful.
The ultimate yardstick in tasting is overall balance. Do all of the components come together seamlessly? Individual characteristics shouldn't stick out: too much oak, too much alcohol, sugar, or acidity.
Everything hinges on the acidity or tartness of the wine. Rate it on a one-to-ten scale. If flat water is a zero and liquid electricity is a ten, we're looking for a five to seven in the mouth, depending on the wine. A wine with an acidity of less than five will seem flabby or watery in the mouth. White wines, which generally come from cooler climates and have an acidity rating of five to nine, are usually sharper than reds, which need sun and warmer climates to ripen the grapes (and typically rate between five and seven). Next, note whether the wine is dry to the taste, off-dry (exhibiting a slight sweetness), or perceptibly sweet in style (like a dessert wine). Is that acidity level appropriate for the wine? Is a dry wine too sharp? Is a dessert wine cloyingly sweet? Either of those impressions could well be perceived in an out-of-balance wine: one is too acidic and the other not acidic enough.
A wine's body or texture is directly related to the amount of alcohol it contains. Lighter-bodied wines are less alcoholic (7 to 10 percent alcohol), while a fuller-bodied wine will have ample alcohol (13 to 16 percent). Again, is there enough acidity to balance the alcohol? Too little, and the wine will come off in your mouth as clunky and heavy, like a Christmas tree drooping under the weight of too many ornaments. Texture, too, is important. We can speak of a wine as having a silky or smooth mouthfeel (especially if it's been in oak and has slightly more alcohol), or being lean or austere, or somewhere in between.
The flavors will generally be consistent with what you picked up in your nose, though you may discover a few additional flavors in the mouth. Last, measure the finish or persistence of the wine. How long do the flavors linger in the mouth after you swallow? The longer the finish, the better the wine is said to be. Good wines have a ten- to thirty-second finish, the best wines linger even longer. Acidity is again critical, as it “pushes” through the finish as a big wave brings a bodysurfer in to shore. Wines that are deficient in acidity are often described as short or thin.
OVERALL EVALUATION
Once you have swirled, looked, sniffed, and tasted, you are in a position to make a judgment on the wine. It's empowering, as you become more experienced, to decide that a wine is bad or simply not to your taste. There are plenty of wonderful bottles out there that may not please you. By the same token, as you become more seasoned and comfortable with your palate and judgment, you become less dependent on the opinions of others. This should be your long-term goal, for wine, like art, is a personal taste. After all, you have the right to walk into the Louvre and give the Mona Lisa an 89- or even a 75-point score. Why not?
STORAGE, SERVING TEMPERATURE, AND GLASSWARE
A number of my winemaker friends lament that once their wine has left the winery, it may travel a rough road to the mouth of the consumer. Three things can compromise the quality of any wine after it has left the winery: storage, serving temperature, and choice of glassware.
STORAGE
Proper storage is essential for any wine, both for its long-term aging and its near-term enjoyment and pleasure. Try to store your wine in a place that is cool (55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit), dark (free from any direct sunlight or regular incandescent light), free of vibration (no shaking on top of the refrigerator), and moderately humid (approximately 50 percent humidity). A classic wine cellar isn't obligatory; any cool, dark area of your home will do, as long as it is not subject to the extremes of temperature that can prematurely age any wine. More and more people are opting for readily available, self-contained home wine-storage units that allow you to control temperature and humidity.
SERVING TEMPERATURE
White wines are best served chilled but not glacially cold—which, alas, is often their fate. Although warm white wines certainly do little for one's enjoyment, no bottle should be showing icicles! The ideal range is somewhere between 45 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit. A slightly warmer temperature, closer to 60 degrees, is actually better for showing off more complex, dry whites, especially Chardonnay, whereas rosés and light- to medium-bodied aromatic whites, such as Riesling and Pinot Gris, should be served somewhere between 45 and 50 degrees, dessert wines around 41 to 46 degrees, and Champagne and