Small tasting lesson
Jacky Rigaux
The way the wine feels in the mouth, or rather
its aptitude to stimulate the palate is the most interesting
factor. These sensations enable us to better appreciate the
complexity and unique characteristics of a wine: consistency,
suppleness, viscosity, texture, vivacity, aromatic length and
aptitude for ageing. This is the gourmet method of wine tasting.
Consistency
A "vin de terroir" * is always consistent. In each
"terroir" worthy of its name, the grapes reach optimum
physiological maturity and naturally produce consistent wines.
It's the substance of the wine, its structure, body and natural
concentration.
This consistency is a result of the vatting process (maceration
before fermentation, fermentation, maceration after fermentation
for red wines and fermentation and ageing of the juices on the
lees for the whites).
During this time, various substances are extracted from the
grapes, in particular the tannins. If there is no consistency
at the outset, the ageing process will not change anything!
Concentration through diverse modern techniques such as reversed
osmosis, maceration of oak chips and the addition of manufactured
substances can succeed in deluding the taster initially, but
on airing and particularly on ageing, one discovers the absence
of complexity in these "technically produced" wines.
Suppleness
The consistency of a "vin de terroir" must show suppleness
on entering the mouth. Only after this, should one taste the
astringency, natural in young red wines. The Larousse dictionary
considers suppleness to be the consistency's flexibility. To
appreciate this characteristic, one should be able to mix the
liquid without there being any sensation of hardness on the
pallet.
One good way of learning to recognise suppleness in the mouth
is to bite in to an egg custard and then in to a soft-boiled
egg. When pressure from the jaw is applied to the egg custard,
the substance is crushed and disintegrates. This gives a soft
sensation in the mouth. The sensation of the boiled egg however,
is that similar to a mattress spring. That, is supplenes.
Viscosity
A great "vin de terroir" produces good viscosity in
the mouth. This sensation is essential, as it reflects the quality
of the tannins.
Talented wine growers who respect their land limit their yields,
never harvest their grapes for convenience purposes, but always
at the optimum level of maturity. Furthermore, they carry out
a harsh sorting of the grapes on arrival at the fermenting room.
The study of this characteristic therefore depends on one's
perception of the tannin's quality: round, full, fat, firm,
hard…
Tannin is naturally present in the grape skins and pips. In
the mouth, it triggers salivary secretions.
Good tannins always give a paradoxical sensation of astringency
and oiliness.
Great wines always leave the palate feeling slightly oily.
First the tannin, then this great oily feeling which one associates
with a high quality olive oil.
Texture
Shakespeare, who was undoubtedly initiated to wine by a professional,
spoke of great French wines and Burgundy nectars, boasting their
velvety, silky, delicate fruitiness. A "vin de terroir"
must provide sensations in the mouth evoking silk, taffeta and
velvet.
Even very young wines from reputable vineyards boast an unmatched
texture.
Once the years have tamed the hotheaded youth in particularly
exceptional vintages, the wines from Burgundy melt in the mouth
blending their velvety texture with noble consistency, offering
the most moving of taste sensations.
The best way to learn how to appreciate texture is by feeling
different types of material, for example, silk and hessian.
In the mouth, textures can be compared by swallowing carrot
grated with a course grater and then with a fine grater. It
is the same carrot which produces two completely different taste
sensations.
Vivacity
Vivaciousness owes itself to the wine's natural acidity. Alcoholic
fermentation followed by malo-lactic fermentation work subtle
transformations that guarantee a racy vivacity, whilst shaping
the consistency and sharpening the texture of the wine.
This characteristic literally livens up the wine in the mouth.
It also brings out the aromatic freshness of any great Burgundian
climate.
It is the winegrower's ability to harvest at the optimum level
of physiological maturity and not for convenience, which is
the key.
This obviously involves strict monitoring of yields as well
as a ruthless sorting of the grapes to strike a perfect balance.
Aromatic persistency
A great "vin de terroir" has length in the mouth.
It is not enough for a wine to be tannic and aromatic with a
strong taste of wood, as is the case of some "manufactured"
wines. The wine's complexity must also be brought to the fore
by its long presence in the mouth. The longer the wine, the
longer the aromatic persistency.
One talks of final taste in the mouth, of sap, particularly
with white wines. Then we judge the intensity of the wine in
the mouth before it fades. However, it is the analysis of this
aromatic persistency which is most appreciated by the amateur!
All the 1er and Grands Crus have great aromatic persistency.
Aptitude for ageing
A great "vin de terroir" is made to last and its complexity
only falters really after a long ageing process, which varies
according to the quality of the vintages.
Exceptional vintages enable wine to keep for a century or longer.
In good vintages, life expectancy is less great. In average
vintages, it is worth tasting the wines within the first 10
years.
It goes without saying that the most prestigious Grands Crus
and 1er Crus have the greatest potential for ageing.
* "Vin de terroir" - Wine produced from grapes originating
from a particular vineyard, from local soil
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