Wine Testing and Regional Specialties
Wine Testing and Regional Specialties Smell is key when it comes to wine tasting; our bodies have more sensors for recognizing smell than taste buds, prompting instantaneous brain responses – you may detect an aroma-teasing smell within two seconds!
Mouthfeel refers to how wine feels on your tongue and throat, including sensations such as sweetness, fruitiness and acidity that vary according to grape variety used to craft each variety of wine. Winemaker experience and terroir also play key roles in producing various styles of wines.
At times, wine judging can be contentious. Robert Hodgson of Humboldt County’s famed winery owner Robert Hodgson studied this aspect and discovered that judges can be as inconsistent with their score as anyone else; his research showed that judges could change it by plus/minus four points during blind competitions.
Wine tasting can be a delightful and enriching experience, providing an opportunity to discover new wines while expanding your palette. Make it fun by organizing a tasting with friends or visiting one of the many vineyards around the globe and sampling some regional specialities!
Switzerland is famous for producing wines of various styles and qualities: Geneva, German-speaking Switzerland and Italian-speaking Ticino are famed for producing reds, whites and roses; Riesling dominates Lake Constance area wines; while Piedmont boasts powerful red wines influenced by Alpine climate resulting in unique Barolo and Barbaresco varietals.