If artificial light is required, the tubes/bulbs should be colour‐corrected so that the true appearance of the wines may be ascertained;
White tables/surfaces: Holding the glasses over a white background is necessary to assess the appearance and show the true colour and depth of colour of the wine, uncorrupted by surrounding surfaces;
Free from distractions: Extraneous noises are undesirable, and smells can severely impact on the perceived nose of the wines. Tasting rooms should be sited away from the winery, avoiding all the smells of the vat room and cellar, together with kitchens and restaurants. This is vital that when tasting wines for suspected faults, as ambient odours will have a severe impact on the assessment process and sensory detection thresholds. There is no doubt that building materials, decorations, furnishings, and people all exude odours. Indeed, identical wines can be perceived differently according to the surroundings in which they are assessed. Tasters should avoid wearing aftershaves or perfumes, and smoking should not take place in the vicinity;
Sinks and spittoons: Spittoons, regularly emptied, are essential (see Section 2.3.2.4) and sinks for emptying and rinsing glasses are desirable.
There is an ISO standard for the design of tasting rooms: ISO 8589:2007 Sensory analysis – General guidance for the design of test rooms [5].
2.3.2 Appropriate Equipment
Having appropriate equipment for the tasting is most important. This includes an adequate supply of tasting glasses, water, spittoons, tasting sheets for recording notes, and, at a formal sit‐down session, tasting mats.
2.3.2.1 Tasting Glasses
It is important to taste wines using appropriate glasses. Experts do not universally agree as to the detailed design of the ideal tasting glass, but certain criteria are essential. Two of the key characteristics are:
Fine rim: A fine rim glass will roll the wine over the tip of the tongue, whilst an inexpensive glass with a beaded rim will throw the wine more to the centre. The tip of the tongue is the part of the mouth where we most detect sweetness, with other parts of the tongue being less sensitive to this;
Cup tapering inwards: The cup of the glass must taper inwards towards the top. This will develop, concentrate, and retain the nose of the wine in the headspace above the liquid, and also facilitate tilting the glass and swirling the wine. Cut glass is not appropriate for wine tasting, as it is impossible to ascertain the true depth of colour and brightness.
Glasses manufactured to the ISO tasting glass specification ISO 3591:1977 [6] remain popular among many wine tasters, both professional and amateur. The ISO tasting glass is particularly good at revealing those faults perceptible on the nose. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) recommends the use of tasting glasses that comply with the requirements of ISO 3591, and that glasses are rinsed in ultra‐filtered and deionised water [7]. Whether ISO glasses are the best glass for tasting particular wine types is subject to much dispute. The nose of full‐bodied and complex red wines certainly develops more in a larger glass. Wine glass manufacturers, particularly Riedel and Zwiesel, have designs to bring out the best of individual wine types, so perhaps the only real advantage of the ISO glass is that it is a standard reference.
An appropriate tasting sample is 3–4 cl, which will be sufficient for two or three tastes. Pouring 5 cl into the glasses allows tasters to return for further assessment should this be required. If glasses of a larger size than the standard ISO tasting glass are used, it is appropriate to pour correspondingly more wine.
2.3.2.2 Glass Washing and Storage
Ideally, wine glasses should be washed by hand just in hot water. If the glasses show signs of grease or lipstick, a little detergent may be used. The glasses should be well rinsed with hot water, briefly drained then dried using a clean, dry, glass cloth. The glass cloth must be previously washed without the use of fabric conditioner in the washing cycle, which can leave the glass with aromas, and a film on the surface. Glass cloths should be changed regularly – perhaps after drying as few as six glasses. The odour of a damp or dirty glass cloth stays in the glass and impacts on the content. Glasses always need to be nosed to check for basic cleanliness and the absence of ‘off’ aromas before use.
Glasses should not be stored bowl down on shelves, for they may pick up the smell of the shelf and develop mustiness. Standing glasses upright on shelves may lead them to collect dust, so a rack in which glasses are held upside down by the base on pegs is ideal. To be sure that no taint from the glass is transmitted to the wine, it is a good idea to rinse the glass with a little of the wine to be tasted. This is also useful if tasting several wines from the same glass.
2.3.2.3 Water
There should be a supply of pure, still, mineral, or spring water for the taster to refresh the palate between wines, if necessary, for drinking and perhaps rinsing glasses. The variable amount of chlorine contained in most tap water usually makes it unsuitable. Sparkling water is best avoided because the carbonic acid (H2CO3) content will impact upon, the assessment of the wine's acidity, sweetness, and balance. Plain, salt‐free biscuits such as water biscuits may also be provided, but some tasters believe that these corrupt the palate a little. Plain, low‐salt content, soft bread is a possible alternative. Cheese, although sometimes provided at tasting events, should be avoided. The fat it contains will coat the tongue. The protein content combines with and can soften the perception of wine tannins. Any salt content will fight the tannins.
2.3.2.4 Spittoons
Spittoons, placed within easy reach of the participants, are essential at any wine tasting. Depending on the number of attendees and the capacity required, there are many possibilities. In the absence of purpose‐made spittoons, wine‐cooling buckets will suffice, perhaps with some sawdust or shredded paper in the bottom, to reduce splashing. There are many designs of spittoons suitable for placing on tables and larger units for standing on the floor. Consideration should be given to the construction material. Plastic, stainless steel, and aluminium are all good. Unlined galvanised metal should be avoided at all cost as wine acids can react with the galvanisation and create disgusting aromas. The importance of spitting at wine‐tastings cannot be overemphasised. The taster needs to keep a clear head and generally avoid unnecessary ingression of alcohol. Even when wines are spat out, a tiny amount will still make its way to the stomach, and indeed a minute amount will also enter the body via the act of nosing the wines. The reader is advised not to drive after wine tasting, even if all the wines have been spat out.
2.3.3 When to Taste
As to when to taste, the decision is unfortunately often dictated by matters beyond the taster's control. However, the ideal time is when the taster is most alert and the appetite stimulated – namely in the late morning. After a meal is certainly not the best time, for not only is the taster replete and perhaps drowsier (as all early afternoon seminar presenters know), but also the palate is jaded and confused. The constituents of many foods will have an impact, positive or negative, upon taste perceptions.
2.4 The Use of a Structured Tasting Technique and Detection of Faults
A structured tasting technique for wine assessment is valuable in ensuring all the characteristics of a wine are considered by a taster, the members of a panel of tasters, and groups of panels, are using the same criteria in their assessments. The usual sequence of tasting is to examine the appearance of the wine, followed by the nose, then the palate. Conclusions about the wine may be summarised, and these will include considerations as to quality. A fault or flaw may be revealed at any or all stages of the tasting assessment, depending upon the defect in question. For example, oxidation may manifest itself on appearance,