Award in Wines & Spirits WSET® Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits Introduction

Award in Wines & Spirits WSET® Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits Session 1: Tasting technique and wine with Food

Tasting and Evaluating Wine Tasting Notes provide a personal record of wines tasted assist in the description of a wine to others help assess the quality of a wine help monitor the progress of a wine

Tasting and Evaluating Wine Ideal Conditions no distracting odours good natural light clean white surfaces a clean palate correctly filled ISO glass

Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® APPEARANCE Clarity clear – hazy Intensity pale – medium – deep Colour white rosé red lemon – gold – amber pink – salmon – orange purple – ruby – garnet – tawny NOSE Condition clean – unclean light – medium – pronounced Aroma characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak aromas, other PALATE Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet Acidity low – medium – high Tannin Body light– medium – full Flavour Characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak flavours, other Finish short – medium – long CONCLUSIONS Quality faulty – poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding

Wine With Food Basic Principles don’t be ruled by rules! we are all different so personal preferences do matter food is the culprit for most negative interactions with wine most wines will be relatively palatable for most people with most foods

Taste Tolerance Levels Tolerant Tasters Generally like strong flavoured foods and drinks Like: Strong black coffee Powerful concentrated red wines with high levels of tannin, oak and alcohol such as some Italian wines and Cabernet Sauvignon Sensitive Tasters Generally like a range of foods and drinks but prefers to have some intensity of flavour and may be sensitive to bitterness Like: Full-flavoured coffee but will usually take milk and/or small amounts of sugar Ripe red wines such as Shiraz, full flavoured whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, oaked and full bodied white wines Very Sensitive Tasters Very sensitive to bitterness and astringency making some food wine reactions more extreme, sensitive to bitterness in artificial sweeteners Like: Delicate teas and/or coffee with cream or sweetened Wines with delicate flavours and maybe some moderate amounts of sweetness such as blush wines, sweeter styles of Riesling or more delicate reds with lower levels of tannins such as Pinot Noir

Food and Wine Pairing Food is… Wine Seems… This means… Salty Less drying and bitter, less acidic Smoother and richer Salt can make tannic wines seem more palatable Acidic Less bitter and acidic Fruitier, sweeter and richer Take care pairing with wines with less acidity Sweet More drying and bitter, more acidic Less sweet and fruity Take care pairing with wines with less sweetness or with tannins Savoury (Umami) More drying and bitter, more acidic Less sweet and fruity Take care when pairing with wines with high levels of tannins or oak character Fatty/Oily Less acidic Pair with wines with high levels of acidity Hot (Chilli) More drying and bitter, less sweet and less fruity Increases heat from chili Pair with wines light in alcohol, fruity and maybe some sweetness Highly Flavoured Overwhelmed by the food flavours Pair with wines with similar intensity of flavours

Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® APPEARANCE Clarity clear – hazy Intensity pale – medium – deep Colour white rosé red lemon – gold – amber pink – salmon – orange purple – ruby – garnet – tawny NOSE Condition clean – unclean light – medium – pronounced Aroma characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak aromas, other PALATE Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet Acidity low – medium – high Tannin Body light– medium – full Flavour Characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak flavours, other Finish short – medium – long CONCLUSIONS Quality faulty – poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding

Social Responsibility Key Areas minimum legal age to purchase and consume alcohol maximum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for drivers and operators of dangerous machinery sensible drinking guidelines restrictions covering the marketing, packaging and sale of alcohol REMEMBER: excessive drinking can cause health risks, and family and job-related difficulties

Storage of Wine Basic Principals store at constant temperature (10-15°C) store wine sealed with a cork on its side store away from strong light store away from vibrations

Service of Wine Style of Wine Wine Example Service Temperature Medium/full-bodied oaked white White Burgundy, Fumé Blanc Lightly Chilled 10-13°C (50-55°F) Light/medium-bodied white Muscadet, Pinot Grigio, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Fino Sherry Chilled 7-10°C (45-50°F) Sweet wines Sauternes, Sweet Muscats Well Chilled 6-8°C (43-45°F) Sparkling wines Champagne, Cava, Asti Well Chilled 6-10°C (43-50°F) Light-bodied red Beaujolais, Valpolicella Lightly Chilled 13°C (55°F) Medium/full-bodied red Red Bordeaux, Red Burgundy, Rioja, Australian Shiraz, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Barolo, Amarone della Valpolicella, Vintage Port Room Temperature 15-18°C (59-64°F)

Service of Wine Glassware Equipment

Opening a Bottle of Still Wine remove the top of the capsule wipe the neck with a clean cloth using a corkscrew, draw the cork out gently and cleanly. give the neck a final clean inside and out

Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® APPEARANCE Clarity clear – hazy Intensity pale – medium – deep Colour white rosé red lemon – gold – amber pink – salmon – orange purple – ruby – garnet – tawny NOSE Condition clean – unclean light – medium – pronounced Aroma characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak aromas, other PALATE Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet Acidity low – medium – high Tannin Body light– medium – full Flavour Characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak flavours, other Finish short – medium – long CONCLUSIONS Quality faulty – poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding