DEGUSTATION AND TASTING

They are two words that enclose a great similarity, but they are not exactly equal. The difference between them is in the professional sense of the act of drinking wine.

Someone degusts wine if is drinking it for the pleasure of doing it, no matter if this person knows or not all the elements to make a statement about the wine origin or quality.

Someone is tasting wine if he or she is prepared in a professional way to do so, it means that this person has the necessary knowledge to analyze the elements that will let him make the statement about the origin, quality and all the other factors that are significant in wine tasting.

To achieve a right wine tasting it is necessary to know the tasting process, the elements that have a progressive order and will help to analyze the wine characteristics, also known as the five Ss: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, and Savor.
It is also necessary to have a good place for tasting, the necessary equipment, a white table or white tablecloth, glassware, spitting bucket or cuspidor, paper to make notes, water and wine of course.

También es necesario contar con una buena sala de cata, el equipo necesario para el acto, una mesa con un mantel o fondo blanco, copas, escupideras, hojas para anotaciones de cata, agua y por supuesto vinos.

SEE
During sight there are four aspects to be considered, the color, the clarity, the density, effervescence (only if there is some).

COLOR

White Wines
-Yellow-Green-Pale
-Yellow with Green reflections
-Straw Yellow – light
-Yellow gold
-Yellow amber with purple sustained reflects
-Stained with orange reflects
-Gold – dark -Golden

Red Wines
-Red violet- very light
-Red purple- light
-Red burgundy – sustained
-Burgundy with orange reflects – dark
-Dark Red –shady Orange - very shady

CLARITY

-Cloudy
-Veil
-Matte
-Clean
-Shiny
-Crystalline

DENSITY

-Fluid = Low density
-Dense = Medium – low density
-Thick = Medium density
-Oily = Medium high density
-Viscous= High density (heavy)

EFFERVESCENCE
Effervescence is an indicator of the presence of carbonic gas, is mentioned only if the wine presents this characteristic, intensity and size of the bubbles is checked, the finest the bubble is the best quality the wine has, it is also important to mention the bubbles lasting.


SNIFF (Smell)

Intensity
-Low scented
-Medium Scented
-Very Scented

Quality
-Ordinary -Fine -Elegant -Original -With Failures

Character
-Fruity
-Floral
-Herbal
-Animal
-Spicy
-Smoky
-Balsamic
-Chemical
-Ill
-Type

SIP (Taste)

Acidity
-Low
-Fresh
-Live
-High

Astringency
-Low Fluid
-Tannic
-Rough
-High scrape

Alcohol
-Thin low
-Light
-Medium body
-Full
-Wide
-Generous
-Heavy
-Alcoholic high

Unctuosity
-Thick
-Rough
-Meaty
-Velvety
-Greasy