The WSET 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine Breakdown
The Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) offers a structured and professional approach to understanding and evaluating wine. One of the core techniques taught at WSET Level 3 is the Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine (SAT). This method is designed to help wine professionals and enthusiasts alike objectively assess wine’s quality, characteristics, and potential, regardless of their personal taste preferences. By following a systematic procedure, tasters can provide consistent, insightful evaluations of wines. Here's an in-depth look at the steps involved in the WSET 3 SAT.
1. Appearance
The first step in the SAT is to assess the wine's appearance. This evaluation is based on visual factors that can give clues about a wine's age, condition, and potential quality.
Clarity: Is the wine clear or cloudy? A cloudy appearance can suggest faults such as spoilage or poor filtration, while clarity indicates proper winemaking techniques and stability.
Intensity: How deep or pale is the color? The depth of color can offer hints about the grape variety, age, and winemaking techniques. For example, red wines can range from a light ruby to a deep, opaque purple, while white wines can range from pale straw to gold or amber.
Color: Observing the color of the wine helps identify its age and style. Older white wines may have a deeper, golden hue, while red wines may transition from vibrant red to garnet or brick tones as they age.
2. Nose
The next step is to evaluate the wine's aromas. The WSET 3 SAT encourages tasters to identify the intensity, clarity, and complexity of the wine's nose. This is essential for understanding the wine’s character.
Condition: First, check if the wine is in good condition. A wine that smells musty, vinegary, or oxidized may be flawed. A fresh, clean nose suggests a wine that is well-made.
Intensity: How strong is the aroma? Is it subtle or overpowering? The intensity can help gauge the concentration and quality of the wine.
Aromas: The taster should identify primary, secondary, and tertiary aromas:
Primary aromas come from the grape itself, including fruity, floral, and herbal notes.
Secondary aromas come from the fermentation process and include elements like yeast, butter, and baking spices (in the case of wines that undergo malolactic fermentation or barrel aging).
Tertiary aromas are the result of aging and may include earthy, nutty, or leather notes found in older wines.
3. Palate
The palate assessment is perhaps the most critical step in the SAT, as it helps define the wine's style, balance, and potential quality. The key elements to evaluate are:
Sweetness: Is the wine dry, off-dry, medium-sweet, or sweet? Sweetness is determined by the residual sugar content left after fermentation, which can affect the wine’s body and overall impression.
Acidity: Acidity provides freshness and structure to a wine. Wines with higher acidity, such as many white wines and sparkling wines, feel crisp and refreshing. Low acidity wines may feel flat or dull.
Tannin: Tannins are compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, particularly in red wines. They can feel astringent or bitter, contributing to the wine’s texture. Tannins help wines age well and can be described as soft, ripe, or firm.
Alcohol: Alcohol content affects the wine’s body and mouthfeel. Wines with higher alcohol levels feel fuller and warmer, while wines with lower alcohol levels tend to feel lighter and more delicate.
Body: The body refers to the overall weight and mouthfeel of the wine, influenced by its alcohol, sugar, and extract. Full-bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay tend to be more robust, while light-bodied wines such as Pinot Noir feel delicate.
Flavor Intensity: Does the flavor burst out immediately, or is it subtle? Flavor intensity correlates with the wine’s overall balance and quality.
Flavor Profile: The wine’s flavors are compared to its aromas to identify consistency. Does the taste align with the nose, or are there unexpected flavors on the palate? These flavors may include fruity, earthy, spicy, or oaky elements.
Finish: The length of the finish is a sign of quality. A long, lingering finish indicates a well-balanced wine, while a short or abrupt finish may indicate a lower quality wine.
4. Conclusions
This final step is about synthesizing the information gathered during the appearance, nose, and palate assessments. The goal is to determine the overall quality, ageability, and style of the wine.
Quality: Based on the overall balance of the wine (its harmony between sweetness, acidity, tannin, and alcohol), the wine is rated as acceptable, good, very good, or outstanding.
Ageability: Some wines are made to be consumed young, while others improve with age. The taster should assess whether the wine is in its prime or if it has potential for aging.
Readiness for drinking: Does the wine need more time to age, or is it ready to drink now?
Potential faults: Any unpleasant aromas or flavors such as moldy or overly oxidized notes may suggest flaws that need to be noted in the conclusion.
Practical Application of the SAT
For those undertaking the WSET Level 3 certification, the SAT offers an organized framework that ensures a consistent and thorough evaluation of wine. It is used to score wines during blind tastings, which may be part of the exam. Beyond exams, the SAT is valuable for wine professionals, sommeliers, and enthusiasts who want to improve their tasting skills and communicate more effectively about wine. By following the systematic approach to tasting, one can evaluate a wine’s technical aspects without bias, while also gaining an appreciation of the broader context of the wine’s style, complexity, and characteristics. Over time, this structured approach helps tasters develop a more nuanced understanding of wines, leading to more informed purchasing and pairing decisions, and ultimately, a deeper appreciation of the art of winemaking.
