DISCLOSURE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND CRITICAL CONCLUSIONS IN WINE TASTING

There are several aspects to consider in the critical assessment of wine. The first thing to understand is that wines are volatile and ever changing. Even though an immediate assessment is made out of the barrel, it will be just the first in a series of evolving impressions. The qualities of a wine will surely change throughout the aging process. Multiple changes in aroma, texture, and concentration can occur. The taster must keep in mind that the wine will not settle and will not be ready for final critique until the bottling stage.

Today there are many winemaking practices in use. Some techniques are designed to give the wine a more flattering appeal at the first tasting while other wines remain more complex at the start and evolve over a period of decades. In some cases a wine’s excessive density, saturation of flavor, and use of oak suggests that the wine is more concentrated, balanced, or even greater in quality, while hiding some of its disjointed flavors. To a discerning taster those disjointed flavors are noticeable and become more evident during the aging process. The taster must make adjustments at each stage of a wine’s development.

THE EVALUATION PROCESS

The Review focuses on three types of Bordeaux wine, red, white, and sweet. They are tasted in three different phases. The initial phase is an analysis of the wine at its debut, this occurs in the spring after the wine has been in the barrel for three to four months. The secondary phase is a critique that occurs in the winter of the following year after twelve to thirteen months of barreling, here the wine’s progress is evaluated. The third phase of analysis takes place once the wine is bottled, this occurs in the second winter after the wine has been in the barrel for approximately 18-22 months and in the bottle for an additional five to seven months (depending on the winemaker’s philosophy).

The initial phase and secondary phase include a written critique highlighting the features of the wine and a score range to give consumers an indication of its level of quality. The third phase of analysis includes a written critique along with a more conclusive final score which indicates the degree to which the wine has evolved.

Methods

Appellation Grouping:
Wines are arranged for tasting by appellation, this maintains consistency on the palate. The wines of Bordeaux can be completely different from one side of the river to the other. The taster must emphasize different senses to identify qualities unique to a given area. Remember, a critique of individual wines is not the only goal. Another consideration is the performance of the appellation as a whole. For the taster, tasting by appellation allows for a better understanding of the impact of weather patterns on the soil and the commonly used techniques within the appellation.

KEYS TO TASTING:

When tasting I look for three critical elements:

1. Aroma: I am looking for how forceful and complex the aroma is.

2. Flavor: The key here is the length of the flavor on the palate along with the balance of fruit, acidity, and tannin.

3. Texture: Here I look for the degree of density on the palate. This is not necessarily a factor in determining the wine’s quality but it does help to give a wine its personality.

THE CONTINUAL ROTATION:

This is a term I use to describe disturbing the wine, it simply means to twirl it in the glass. The wine has two phases of aroma, one being evident as the wine sits in the glass in its resting state. This generally reveals some of the most seductive aromas that wine consumers enjoy. The second phase of aroma exposes itself after the continual rotation of the wine. This reveals some of the most important and complex aspects of the wine’s aroma. A careful but separate analysis of both phases is essential for an accurate assessment.

SAMPLE INTEGRITY:

The sample must be delivered in its freshest form. From the barrel I request that the wine is immediately corked and provided to me for analysis within 24-36 hours. For bottled samples I request a random selection from a property’s stock.

For on site tastings I request suitable conditions for sampling the wine which include an indoor room with adequate lighting, wine at its correct temperature, and tall tasting glasses. At times samples are submitted to me for off site tastings. Again, proper lighting, temperature, and glasses are attained for performing the analysis.

NOTE TO READERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS

The Periodic Review of Bordeaux Wine is not affiliated with any property or persons in the wine business. All written work, including the assessment of wines, published in the Review is performed independently. It is the policy of the Review not to disclose the quality of any wine to anyone including property owners and contacts in the wine trade until the publication is released. Also, the quality of a wine is not discussed during tastings. The chief objective is to determine the quality of each wine and inform the consumer.

View full list of wines included in the Periodic Review of Bordeaux Wine.