| Although the four main flavors - sweet, salty, | | | | Although acidity is great with wine, too much of it |
| sour, and bitter are all your tongue is really | | | | will leave a very sharp taste. With the right levels, |
| capable of tasting, the long lasting impression that | | | | acidity will bring the flavors of the grape and fruits |
| wine leaves in your mouth is far more complex. | | | | alive in your mouth - providing you with the |
| When you drink or taste wine, your taste buds | | | | perfect taste. |
| and your sense of smell are involved, adding to | | | | Yet another effect of flavor are tannins, which |
| the way you interpret wine overall. The flavors, | | | | are the proteins found in the skins of grapes and |
| aromas, and sensations that wine is comprised of | | | | other fruits. If a wine has the right amount of |
| provide the interaction that you taste when you | | | | tannins, it will give your tongue a great feel, and |
| sample wine. | | | | bring in the sensations of the other flavors. Once |
| Sweetness is something that wines are well | | | | a wine starts to age, the tannins will begin to |
| known for. With most types of wine, grapes are | | | | breakdown in the bottle, giving you a softer feel |
| responsible for the sweet taste. Grapes contain a | | | | to the taste. Tannins are essential for the taste |
| lot of sugar, which breaks the yeast down into | | | | of wine - providing the wine has been properly |
| alcohol. The grapes and yeast that were used to | | | | aged. |
| produce the wine will leave behind various sugars, | | | | The last flavor associated with wine is oak. |
| which your tongue will be able to quickly detect. | | | | Although oak isn't put into the wine during the |
| Once your tongue detects these various sugars, | | | | manufacturing process, it is actually transferred |
| the stimulation of sweetness from the wine will | | | | during the aging process, as most wines will spend |
| be ever so present in your mouth. | | | | quite a bit of time in oak barrels. Depending on |
| Alcohol is also present in wine, although your | | | | how long the wine is left in the oak barrel or cask, |
| tongue doesn't really know how to decipher the | | | | the ability to extract the flavor will vary. Most |
| taste of alcohol. Even though the tongue doesn't | | | | often times, wine will be aged just enough to |
| really taste alcohol, the alcohol is present in the | | | | where the oak taste is visibly there - and adds |
| mouth. The alcohol found in wine will dilate blood | | | | the perfect sentiment to the taste. |
| vessels and therefore intensify all of the other | | | | Although there are other flavors involved with the |
| flavors found in the wine. After you have samples | | | | taste of wine, they aren't as present as those |
| a few types of wine, the alcohol level can easily | | | | listed above. The above flavors are the most |
| have an effect on your taste buds, making it hard | | | | present in wine, and also the flavors that you |
| to distinguish other drinks that you may have. | | | | need to get more familiar with. Before you try to |
| Another flavor is acidity, which will effect the | | | | taste wine or distinguish flavors, you should |
| sugars. With the proper balance of acidity, the | | | | always learn as much you can about the |
| overall flavor of wine can be very overwhelming. | | | | components responsible for the flavors. This way |
| Once you taste wine that contains it, the flavor | | | | - you will know more about what you are tasting |
| of the acidity will be well known to your tongue. | | | | and you'll truly be able to appreciate wine. |