How to take tasting notes?
Quick answer
Great tasting notes capture three things: what the wine looks like, what it smells like, and how it tastes. Follow a consistent structure -- appearance, nose, palate, conclusion -- and write your impressions immediately, while the wine is still in your mouth. You do not need to be fancy; you need to be specific.
Detailed answer
Taking tasting notes is the single best thing you can do to accelerate your wine learning. It forces you to pay attention, builds your flavour memory, and gives you something to look back on months later when you are trying to remember that amazing bottle.
Start with appearance. Tilt your glass at 45 degrees against a white background. Note the colour (pale lemon, gold, amber for whites; ruby, garnet, brick for reds), the intensity (pale, medium, deep), and whether it is clear or hazy.
Move to the nose. Smell the wine before swirling (first nose) and after (second nose). Rate the intensity: is it shy or screaming? Then list what you smell. Do not panic if you cannot name specifics -- start with categories. 'Fruity' is fine. 'Red fruit' is better. 'Cherry and raspberry' is best. Use the aroma wheel if you get stuck.
Now taste. Assess sweetness (dry, off-dry, medium, sweet), acidity (low to high -- does it make your mouth water?), tannin in reds (smooth to grippy), body (light, medium, full -- think skimmed milk versus cream), flavour intensity, and finish length. A great wine lingers for 10+ seconds.
Finish with a conclusion: did you like it? Would you buy it again? How does it compare to similar wines? Rate it on whatever scale works for you -- 20-point, 100-point, five stars, thumbs up/down.
Practical tips: always taste in the same type of glass (the ISO tasting glass is cheap and universal), keep your notes in one place (apps like CellarTracker or Vivino work well), and cap your sessions at 15-20 wines to avoid palate fatigue.
| Step | What to assess | Key vocabulary |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Colour, intensity, clarity, viscosity | Pale, medium, deep, clear, hazy |
| Nose (1st) | Volatile aromas, condition | Clean, fruity, floral, faulty |
| Nose (2nd) | Complexity, aroma families | Primary, secondary, tertiary |
| Palate | Sweetness, acidity, tannin, body, finish | Dry, crisp, silky, full-bodied, lingering |
| Conclusion | Overall quality, ageing potential | Acceptable, good, very good, outstanding |